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RAYMOND 




Alpha and Omega 

AND 

Other Stories 


BY 


ROSA S. JEROME 

#♦ 


San Francisco 

THE HICKS-JUDD COMPANY 
ji to First Street 
iQta 



COPYRIGHT DECEMBER, iqii 

BY 

ROSA S. JEROME 


/ 


// (J-O 

©CI.A328772' 


Preface 

This little book of short stories deals with both truth and 
fiction, though fiction predominates. There is a good moral 
and something elevating in each story that will, we trust, 
be appreciated by both young and old. There is a touch 
of sentiment, also of humor. Perhaps many an otherwise 
gloomy evening will be brightened for the juniors by read- 
ing one of these stories. 

Go, little book, from house to house. 

And consolation bring 

To those that weep and those that mourn. 

And those that try to sing. 

For some that sing have heavy hearts. 

Their smiles would make you sad. 

But you and I, my little book. 

Will try to make them glad. 

This little book of stories short. 

Is sent out to be read. 

By lads and lasses, one and all. 

Ere they tumble into bed. 

It gives them a thought of others’ joy. 

Likewise of others’ strifes. 

And helps to set an example 
To them in their battles of life. 



Contents 


Page 


Raymond's Letter, a Poem -------- 6 

Alpha and Omega - -- -- -- -- -- 13 
Elsie Graham and Her Mother ------ 53 

Where There's a Will There's a Way - - - - 67 

A Good Beginning, but a Sad Ending ----- 79 

On the Arkansas Plains --------- 91 

A Strange Dream ------- ---- - 99 

Agnes, the Little Waif at Castle Wall - - - - 109 


Raymond's Answer to a Letter from His 
Sister as to What He Wants 
Santa Claus to Bring 

Sister, dear, these are the things I want Santa to bring : 

1 . 

I have no sisters three. 

But rd like a Christmas tree. 

All lit up with candles bright, 

That gives such shining light. 

And if Santa Claus can find, 

Another sister just like mine, 

He may put her on the tree. 

And I will trot her on my knee. 

And ril tell her stories, 

All about her baby brothers. 

II. 

I don’t care for rubber rings. 

For they look like baby’s things. 

I want a great big drum. 

That I can beat with my thumb. 

I like marbles, a whistle, and a top, 

And an auto that never stops. 

I’d like a nice red hoop. 

And a big picture book. 

I like all that is called toys — 

But best of all a rocking horse. 

Just like other boys. 

III. 

I like rubber balls ; 

But I don’t care for dolls. 

For they are called girl’s toys. 

I don’t care for hogs and dogs, 

For they make so much noise. 

I don’t care for nuts and candies sweet. 


Raymond's Letter 


7 


My mamma buys all that I can cat, 

I’d like a rocking chair, 

That I can sit in and comb my hair. 

I would like a nice gold watch, 

One that sings tick, tick, tock. 

IV. 

I don’t care for a big black hat. 

With plumes and tassels at the back. 

I’d like to have a little red cap. 

I’d like to have a chest of tools. 

That I can play with when I go to school, 
I’d like to have a brand new sled. 

With all the runners painted red. 

I’d like to have a box of blocks. 

With a picture of a fox. 

I’d like to have a rake and hoe. 

To work in the garden with Uncle Joe. 

V. 

Tell Santa not to forget Tommy Butt, 

He does not live in a hut. 

But a little bungalow; 

On the east side it is very low. 

But the key-hole in the door. 

Stands just the same as yours. 

Where old Santa used to creep. 

And leave your things all in a heap. 

Now Tommy Butt don’t want a sister. 

But he would like a baby brother. 

One that looks just like his father. 

VI. 

I hope Santa won’t forget us boys. 

For the girls have many toys. 

They like any thing that sings. 

And especially gold rings. 

Tell Santa we will be here another year, 


8 


Raymond's Letter 


Tommy Butt, I and Floyd Nuckels, 

Sister, save up your nickels, 

For there are many presents to be seen, 

In show windows that are not green. 

I think Fd like a jumping rope, 

But brother Harry says, “Ropes are for girls to 
jump." 

VIL 

There’s my cousin Ethel Bell, 

Santa, you know full well. 

She likes dishes and dolls, 

Just as well as I like balls, 

So please bring her a great big doll. 

One that can laugh and call mamma. 

Now, Ethel Bell has a cousin, 

And his name is Henry Newell, 

He has never fought a duel. 

Santa will find his stockings hanging. 

In a little white cottage near the organ. 

vm. 

I have so many cousins, 

I can not count them all ; 

There are Ruth and Arthur Thomas, 

They live now in Los Banos, 

So carry all their presents there. 

And leave them near their papa’s chair. 

Then Uncle Ed in all his glee. 

Will give their presents to them by threes, 

Aunt Ellen will be there! 

And will spread a dinner fair. 

She’ll look sweet in the gown she wears. 

IX. 

There is Harold, a great big boy. 

But he would like some toys ; 

I think a kite or a balloon. 


Raymond's Letter 


9 


Something he can fly at noon — 

There is little Lee Thomas, 

He likes drums as well as harness. 

Maud and Annette Rose, 

And they like toys, you know. 

If they do play in the snow ; 

Now, Santa, dear, remember all. 

And don’t forget the girls’ dolls. 

X. 

There is Cousin Hibert Frank and all, 

I think they would like a rubber ball. 

To play with in the hall. 

Albert and Will, past the age for toys. 
But would like to be brought back. 

To childhood joys. 

When they were but little boys. 

Playing with their toys. 

With so much noise, 

I think they would like a girl 
With big blue eyes and golden curls. 

XL 

Elmer Gray is not forgotten. 

Though he has left off his baby stocking. 
Although he did not come to town. 

To see my brand new gown, 

I am going to write a line. 

And ask Santa Claus, 

Maybe he will get it in time. 

To leave them out. 

The last three I spoke about. 

And he may some day bring toys. 

To their little girls and boys. 

XII. 

Our loved ones, 

I did not remember then. 


10 


Raymond's Letter 


But mamma’s told me all about them. 

Edward, dear, God called him home. 

So he is not here. 

Dear little brother sweet, 

Has gone to kneel at Jesus’ feet. 

Little Earl is not alone. 

For our loved ones are around the throne. 

Where Santa Claus never creeps. 

With his reindeers on swift feet. 

XIII. 

Aunt Bell, Jennie and Mattie is three. 

They won’t forget I am going to have a tree. 

And I hope they will all feel free 
To come and see my Christmas tree, 

For my papa is going to bring 
Me lots of little things. 

And my mamma won’t forget 
That I want a big black cat. 

Uncle Lee and Charles are all ; 

I am sure both of their wives are tall. 

And would like a woolen shawl. 

XIV. 

As I have not asked for many things. I’ll do my 
chores. 

While sister, dear, you take your choice, 

And don’t listen to baby’s voice. 

But select me the nicest toys. 

Then I can play with childish joy. 

I almost forgot little Henry Me. wants a slate. 

But now as it is getting late. 

I’ll be good and go to sleep, 

While Santa on tip-toes may creep, 

Down through our chimney, though it is very deep. 
And leave my things all in a heap. 


Raymond. 


Alpha and Omega 





Alpha and Omega 

It was Christmas morning. The snow was falling fast, 
when the carpenter’s daughter opened the door as usual for 
the pint of milk for their scanty breakfast. To her surprise, 
there stood a large basket at the door filled almost to the top. 

“Come, mother ! quick, and see wliat has been sent to us 
for Christmas. Surely Santa Claus has not forgotten us 
this year if father is out of work.” 

The mother stepped to the door and assisted Eliza to carry 
in the large clothes basket, and set it on the table. They 
lifted the lid ; there to their surprise lay two sleeping infants 
robed in silk. Mrs. Merrial clasped her hands and sank 
back into a chair near the table. 

“My God!” she exclaimed. “Do we not have enough to 
do to care for our own family without taking some one else’s 
offspring? Father has a hard time to feed the four of us 
and here are two more mouths to fill. Who has brought 
them here?” 

“Let’s call father,” said Eliza, “and see what else there 
is in the basket. Perhaps we will find who has brought them 
here.” 

Mr. Merrial was called into the roomi. He was more than 
surprised to see the contents of the basket. As he stepped 
forward and saw the two little faces, side by side, he ex- 
claimed : “What beautiful children 1 Perhaps God has sent 
them here for some purpose. Do not look so sad, little 
mother, we will do the best we^can for the babies,” he said, 
as he wiped the tears from his eyes. “How could any 
mother send such beautiful babies out in such a fierce storm? 
God have mercy on them 1” 

“Now, Eliza,” said mother, “you warm some milk for the 
babies, while father and I take the darlings out of the basket 
into a warm room.” 

Little did they dream what the contents of the basket were 
as they lifted the little ones out in their long silken robes. 


14 


Alpha and Omega 


^^They must be from wealthy parents or they would never 
wear such robes,” exclaimed Mrs. Merrial, as her husband 
lifted out the first sleeping child. It opened its large blue 
eyes and looked into the woman’s face almost with a smile 
on its lips. 

“You darling,” she said. 

“Look, John, does it not look as our little Cora did when 
she was a few days old?” 

“Yes,” her husband said. “I remember well how little 
Cora looked, our darling.” 

Again he wiped the tears fromi his eyes. For God had 
called their baby home before it could lisp their names and 
it had only been two weeks since the snow had been shoveled 
away and the little mound of earth thrown open to lay away 
their baby of five months. 

Mrs. Merrial clasped the little one closer to her breast 
and thanked God He had sent her darling home, for in like- 
ness it was almost her own child. As she looked at the 
child again, she discovered a note pinned to the baby’s dress. 
She opened the note and there in a beautiful hand writing 
were the words : 

“Merry Christmas ! I send my baby Omega to you. God 
bless her ! Be good to my darling. May she find a happy 
home! Her Mother. 

“Born Dec. 24, 18—.” 

The darlings, only a few hours old, had come to their 
home to live. 

Omega was laid on the bed. As Mr. Merrial lifted the 
other gaping baby from' its place in the basket, and handed 
it to the outstretched arms of his wife, he said : “This is our 
boy, little mother, the one we have been wanting so long,” 
for their family^ consisted of girls. Mrs. Merrial kissed it 
and clasped it to her breast as she had done the other one. 
She felt she had her own baby home, the two looked so much 
alike. Yes, Mr. Merrial had his boy as he said, for this 


Alpha and Omega 


15 


was little Alpha. The note pinned to him read similar to 
the other. 

The darlings were fed, and soon a little bed was arranged 
near the fire for the babies. The basket contained all that 
was necessary to add to the children’s comfort. Someone 
had not forgotten even the nursing bottles so necessary for 
the babies. Their wardrobe was magnificent. It consisted 
of nothing but the finest material made very tastily. What 
reason a mother of wealth could have for giving away her 
babies was more than they could tell. The little clothes were 
taken out, examined by each member of the family, then 
placed in a bureau drawer until the basket was almost 
emptied. While removing a silk shawl from the basket, a 
letter fell to the floor. So far no clew had been found to 
the babies’ identity. Perhaps the letter contained some in- 
formation in regard to them. Mr. Merrial opened the letter 
and read : 

‘‘Dec. 24, 18—. 

“Merry Christmas to you all, my dear unknown friends ! 
I send my infants to you for a time. Be good to them. How 
I love them! You wonder, I suppose, how a mother can 
be so cruel as to send her little ones away, and the world I 
know will judge me harshly, yet that same mother-love is 
in my bosom as other mothers have for their offspring. 
But cruel fate has separated them from me for a time. I 
shall come when you least expect me and claim my darlings. 

“You wonder why these babies have been sent to your 
home when I am unknown to you. It is through my doctor 
I send them to your tender care. I have heard you are 
Christians; if I am not I want my babies reared by Chris- 
tian people. Please do not let them know until the proper 
time that you are not their parents. Rear them in your 
name, treat them the same as if they were your own chil- 
dren. I know the world will say they are illegitimate chil- 
dren. I will swear with my right hand on a Bible that they 


16 


Alpha and Omega 


are born in lawful wedlock. God knows I am not guilty 
of a stain only in sending my babies away to be cared for 
by strangers. I feel confident you will be good to them. 
Take them into your arms, press them to your bosom, and 
ask God’s blessing upon them as I have done and think that 
the same heart beats in love for these little ones, as your 
heart beats in love for the little one you laid to rest a few 
weeks ago. 

'T am a stranger in your midst. I have only been here 
two weeks. As soon as I am able, I shall return to my 
home. 

‘‘Again I say, be good to my little ones. Hire the most 
competent nurse you can get for them until they are five 
years old. Then I want them placed in the hands of a 
good governess. As soon as they are old enough for music 
I will send them a grand piano. I want them to take les- 
sons. Do not let them attend public school. I want them 
to have the best of care. Do not let them want for any- 
thing. In the bottom of this basket you will find a purse 
containing fifty dollars for the first month of the babies’ 
keeping and another twenty-five for any other expense you 
deem necessary for their comfort. Each month you keep 
my babies a draft for fifty dollars on the Bank of New 
York will be sent to you for them. Should this amount not 
be sufficient to defray their expenses, you can draw on the 
bank for a larger sum at any time as there will always be 
money on deposit there for my darlings — Alpha and Omega. 

“Should the babies be taken sick at any time, employ the 
best physician you can get, and if dangerously ill notify me 
through the bank. If one or both of them should die — but 
I try to banish this thought from my mind — I want to clasp 
my darlings to my bosom again, and shower a mother’s love 
on them. If anything should happen to them, lay them to 
rest in the most beautiful style and place you can find regard- 
less of expense for money is no object to me. I want my 


Alpha and Omega 


17 


babies to share my wealth even when I am separated from 
them. Should you move away at any time from your present 
home notify me through the bank. Remember ! I shall come 
some day and claim my babies and take them home. God 
bless them ! 

“With love to you all, also to my dear babies, I remain 
their loving mother and your unseen friend.” 

Yes, this was a Merry Christmas for the carpenter and 
his little family. They almost felt rich now. This was more 
money than they had in the house for months past, and the 
sleeping infants in little Cora’s crib seemed their own. 

The children grew more beautiful each month and their 
little cooings could soon be heard all over the house. The 
shadow of death which had been cast over that little house- 
hold a few months before was almost forgotten in the love 
they bore for the cooing infants. 

As Mrs. Merrial clasped them to her bosom, she thanked 
God through her tears ; although He had taken her own dar- 
ling home. He had sent two beautiful babies to fill the 
vacancy in their hearts and home. Soon little Alpha and 
Omega became the pets of the family. Poor as Mrs. Mer- 
rial was she would rather have given up the money for the 
babies’ keeping than to have given them up. 

Until the babies were five years old they were reared 
with the most loving and tender care. No parents could have 
given children better care than Mr. and Mrs. Merrial did 
these. The story of the Christmas babies found on Mr. and 
Mrs. Merrial’s porch on that stormy Christmas morning 
had almost died out of their thoughts as little Alpha and 
Omega would wait at the gate to give papa his evening 
kiss or run up street to help mamma carry her parcels home 
from the store. Never was Eliza or Lena too busy to assist 
their little brother and sister when they needed help, and 
never did they lose a chance to amuse them at play. But the 


18 


Alpha and Omega 


time had now drawn near when the babies’ real mother 
requested that they be placed in the hands of a good govern- 
ess. During these five years there had never been a month 
that Mr. and Mrs. Merrial had not received their check from 
the bank, evidence that a loving mother though separated 
from her little ones was keeping watch over them,. Although 
separated from her yet they were not forgotten and the 
most costly presents and clothing were sent to them from 
month to month. In the spring of 18 — the babies were 
placed in the care of a good governess, nor was anything 
left undone which would add to their comfort. 

Months went by. The children learned rapidly. Omega 
was a lovable child and won the love of everyone. Mrs. 
Merrial often thought as she saw Omega trying to com- 
fort her brother or some other poor child that she must 
be like her mother ; with her loving blue eyes and her long 
golden curls falling over her shoulders, she was indeed a 
picture of beauty. Mrs. Merrial often thought no artist 
had ever painted such a picture as her little Omega would 
make. Her disposition was so different from’ her brother’s ; 
she was very quiet, never got into trouble, and was always 
ready to lend a helping hand to anyone who was in need. 
She was very affectionate with her parents, brother and sis- 
ters. Mrs. Merrial often thought she was like a ray of 
sunshine flitting about the house. 

As the children were taken in charge by the governess 
who did not know but that they were Mrs. Merrial’s own 
children, Mrs. Merrial insisted on having the children to 
herself an hour or so each morning and evening, and in 
pleasant weather could be seen Mrs. Merrial with her twins. 
‘‘The most beautiful children in the town,” everyone de- 
clared, and “the mother is so devoted to them.” 

Mrs. Merrial often laughed and told their governess she 
did not want the children to love her more than their mother. 
Omega would climb to her lap, put her arms around her 


Alpha and Omega 


19 


mother’s neck and kiss her and say: “You are my bestest 
mamma. I will never love any one more than I do you.” 
Then she would turn to her governess and say with a 
smile: “I love you; but I love my mamma and papa the 
best of all. For you know God can’t give us but one 
mamma.” 

“Who told you that, darling?” asked Mrs. Merrial. 

“Oh ! my Sunday School teacher said so last Sunday ; but 
don’t you know, mamma, Alpha said on our way home from 
Sunday School that he dreamed he had another papa and 
mamma and his new mamma was so beautiful! She had 
on lovely jewels and rings on every finger. His father was 
a knight and rode a big black horse. He said he wished it 
was so.” 

Mrs. Merrial looked sad at the child’s story and Omega 
could see her mamma’s feelings were hurt. Then she hugged 
her closer and kissed her again and again and said: “O, 
mamma, how I love you ; I love you better than any one,” 
and she patted her mother on the cheek. 

Alpha, with his roguish blue eyes came dancing to his 
mother’s side. “Some day, mamma, I am going to have a 
beautiful mamma and a father-knight who rides on a big 
black horse. You know nurse used to read to us out of 
our story books about a queen-mother, and a father-knight. 
I have built my pictures ever since of a father-knight and a 
queen-mother sitting on a throne. Yes, Omega and I have 
played we had a queen-mother and a father-knight, and we 
were so happy while we were playing it.” 

At this Mrs. Merrial took her handkerchief and wiped 
her tears away. Omega seeing her mother’s feelings were 
hurt said : “O, mamma, we only played it for fun. It was 
such fun when we imagined we had a queen-mother and a 
father-knight sitting on Alpha’s black rocking-horse. You 
ought to see how stiff dollie sat there as if she was a real 
lady on a throne. And Tabbie mewed when we put Alpha’s 


20 


Alpha and Omega 


pants on him and made him sit on the rocking-horse.” 

At this Mrs. Merrial smiled and the governess laughed 
aloud. It was so comical to see Omega picturing everything 
with her hands as if it were really so. Mrs. Merrial said 
to the children : 

"‘Do you want a better mamma than I am?” Omega 
hugged her tightly and said: 

“Mamma, dear, you are the best mamma in the world. 
Alpha thinks so too.’" 

“Yes, I do think so,” asserted Alpha ; “but I’d like to 
have a queen for a mamma, and a father-knight who rides 
a big black horse, for then I would ride the horse some- 
times, that I would, when the knight was asleep. Wouldn’t 
I have fun, then ? Omega could stay with you, mamma, for 
company and I would go to father-knight’s castle to live. I 
would have servants to wait on me then. I would not have 
to fuss with my shoestrings when they get into a knot or 
to hunt for my top or ball. I would command my servants 
to do it.” 

“I do not think, my little man, that you ever fuss with 
your shoestrings now. Omega usually has that to do.” 

“So I am the servant that Alpha laughs about,” said 
Omega, laughingly, as she clasped her little hands together. 

Mamma reminded the children it was bed time and nurse 
put in her appearance and carried the youngsters off to bed, 
to dream of fairies, queen-mothers and father-knights. 

As Mrs. Merrial was left alone to ponder over the chil- 
dren’s tales, she thought perhaps some day Alpha’s dream 
might come true, and she could not keep from crying, for 
she feared the time was drawing near when she must give 
up her babies. Alpha, so full of life and fun, ready for an 
answer to any question which might be put to him, but 
always in mischief. What fun he thought he was having 
the day he tore Omega’s dollie’s hair off to put a white 
cotton wig on her head ! To fill his cup of mischief to the 


Alpha and Omega 


21 


full he cut her kitten’s tail off — “to hear it cry,” he said — 
while poor Omega, as gentle as a lamb came to her poor kit- 
ten’s rescue, took it away from her cruel brother and bore it 
with tears in her eyes to her mother’s room, exclaiming: 
“O, mamma, see what Alpha has done to my poor kitten! 
Will it die?” 

“O, pshaw, girls don’t know how to treat a kitten,” said 
Alpha, who had followed her upstairs. “They are too stupid 
to have any fun. I am glad I am not a girl. I’d rather be 
a boy and cut kittens’ tails off, than to be a girl and wear 
curls like Lord Fauntleroy.” 

“O, you wicked brother, to say such cruel things about 
my poor kitten !” hugging her kitten closer to her with th<i 
blood streaming out of its tail. “My poor Flossie,” sai 1 
poor Omega. 

“O, that doesn’t hurt her much,” said Alpha. “That’s 
good for her health. I only cut a tiny bit of her tail. I 
am sure it doesn’t hurt her.” 

“That is what you said when you killed my poor canary 
bird, and the bird was really dead.” 

“Well, it did not hurt it then if it was dead. What are 
you talking about ?” 

The mother led Omega away with her poor kitten and 
sent Alpha to be put to bed by the nurse. 

How different the two children were in disposition and 
temper, thought poor Mrs. Merrial. Omega had a gentle, 
loving temper. Alpha was as bold and rough as a lion. 

Nine years have passed since little Alpha and Omega were 
first taken into the Merrial family. The children have 
grown very beautiful. Alpha, with his dancing blue eyes 
is as full of mischief as ever and very bright in his studies. 
He is ahead of Omega, although she declares she never saw 
him studying, and his governess often wonders how he 
can be so perfect in his lessons. Omega takes more to music 


22 


Alpha and Omega 


than other studies. At the age of nine years she was quite 
a musician. She had then taken lessons on the piano for 
four years and her governess declared she was further ad- 
vanced in her music than most pupils who had taken lessons 
for a much longer time. Alpha is quite a violinist, and 
can accompany his sister on the piano. The two children 
had every opportunity in the world to become a bright man 
and woman, and it was the day-dream of Mrs. Merrial to 
make them so. Mrs. Merrial was taken suddenly ill. She 
lingered for a few weeks, and then passed away. She made 
her husband and daughters promise before her death that 
in case anything should happen to her they would notify the 
children’s mother through the bank of her death. They 
promised to do so, and Mrs. Merrial passed away 
without a murmur. After Mrs. Merrial was laid to 
rest her husband notified the bank that his wife had 
died, but as his daughters were old enough to take 
charge of the children, they would like to keep them, as 
they had a good governess for them. They received no reply 
to this. Months went by, and still the money came just the 
same. Then Mr. Merrial decided to move away from Hart- 
ford and went to Danbury to live. Again he notified the 
bank of the change he intended to make. This time also he 
received no answer; but thinking everything was all right, 
he made the change. Months came and went, and no word 
did he receive from the bank. The children’s support was 
entirely cut off. Mr. Merrial would not give up the children 
but did the best he could for them. He could not afford to 
keep a governess any longer for them, and for the first time 
the children were sent to the public school. Mr. Merrial 
tried again and again to hear from the bank in regard to the 
children’s money, but did not succeed in doing so. As he 
did not know their mother’s name, he finally gave up in 
despair of ever receiving any more for the children’s keep- 
ing, but he loved them as his own and would do the same 


Alpha and Omega 


23 


by them as if they were his own. Eliza was earning her 
own living now, but Lena was at home and took care of the 
children. 

One day Mr. Merrial was taken home in a wagon. He 
had fallen from a building and was so badly hurt internally 
that he died in a few days. So Alpha and Omega were 
without father and mother. How they had missed their 
mother’s care ! Night after night Omega had cried herself 
to sleep for her mother, but she often said : 

“I know mamma can never come to me, but I am going 
to try to meet mamma in Heaven. Oh, I wish I could go 
there now, mamma was so good to us,” and she would not 
be comforted by any one. Now she had no father to com- 
fort her. She and Alpha must fight their battles alone, for 
Lena must now take care of herself. 

Their old nurse heard of the death of Mr. Merrial and 
knowing what bright, pretty children they were, she thought 
she could make a fortune out of them. Eliza and Lena, 
knowing she could rear them better than they could, con- 
sented to let her have them. They turned over to her what 
few trinkets their mother had preserved for them, also their 
mother’s letter, to be kept with the children. 

Mrs. McDonnell agreed never to take the children away 
without letting Eliza and Lena know where she was going 
to take them ; but after she had them in her own hands she 
did as she liked with them. She made Alpha and Omega 
believe she was their own mother. They must take her 
name and never tell that they ever had any other mother and 
father than herself and her husband, who had been dead sev- 
eral years. It was hard for the children to take the name 
of McDonnell and very little did they look like Irish 
children ; but fearing her they kept her secret. She left the 
town one evening with the twins, and for years Eliza and 
Lena never saw nor heard of Alpha and Omega. 


24 


Alpha and Omega 


Mrs. McDonnell had a few hundred dollars saved up and 
she kept the children in school for a few years with what 
money they could assist her in getting at night when she 
would make them take their violin and banjo out on the 
street and play at night, when they had drawn a crowd 
passing the hat for a collection. This often brought her 
several dollars. Everyone wondered at her having such 
beautiful children, so well educated for their ages and noth- 
ing like her in manners or looks. Often someone would say 
on the street so the children could hear : 

“I don’t see how that old Irish woman could raise those 
children like that. They look and act as if they had been 
reared in a princess’s home, with a French governess, and 
not by an old Irish wash-woman.” 

Alpha and Omega could hardly restrain their tears when 
they would hear people talking like that, for they would 
think of their own dear father and mother, who were laid 
to rest. The nurse tried to make them believe they were 
her own children. She told them she was very poor and 
Mrs. Merrial, the woman they had called mother, had lost 
a little baby a week before they were bom. 

“She grieved over it so much I let her have my babies 
because we were poor and I had to help your father to make 
a living as he was sick and could not take care of us. I let 
you take Mrs. Merrial’s name but I am really your mother, 
and you must never tell anyone I ever gave you away, or 
that you ever had any other home than with me.” 

Alpha and Omega did not credit this statement, but dared 
not tell her so for fear of her cmel treatment. She was 
about fifty years old when Mrs. Merrial first hired her to 
help take care of the babies. At that time she was a nurse ; 
but ten years or more had past since that time and she was 
advancing in years. Very few people would hire her for a 
nurse, so she was obliged to take in washing for a living for 


Alpha and Omega 


25 


herself and the children. She would make them do the 
greater part of the washing out of their school hours. 

Finally, she took to drinking. She had then had the care 
of the children for more than three years. She became very 
unkind to them and did not provide for them as she should. 
The children were proud and high-spirited and would not 
beg as she wanted them to do for a living. This aroused 
the cruelty in her. Night after night they played on the 
street. The people would take up a collection for them. If 
they went home with only a dollar or so, she would beat 
them because they did not bring more money, and accuse 
them of spending it for candies or cakes, things the children 
had not tasted for months. They were afraid to use their 
money for fear she would find it out and whip them' for it. 

They often cried themselves to sleep on their bed of straw 
and rags, for Mrs. McDonnell had sold her furniture and 
most of their clothes for liquor. The children often thought 
of their beautiful home, their father, mother, Eliza and 
Lena. Why did not their sisters come to them ? They were 
not allowed to write to either of them and their sisters did 
not know how unkind their nurse would be when she had 
them all alone or surely they would never have let her have 
them. 

Alpha had a few cents given to him that his so-called 
mother did not know of. He bought some paper, envelopes 
and stamps and wrote a number of times to his sisters, tell- 
ing them how cruel nurse was to them and to please come 
and take them away from her or else they would die with 
hunger; but he received no reply to his letters. He con- 
cluded his sisters were dead or they had married and moved 
away and he knew not where they had gone. He became 
discouraged and never tried to hear from them again; but 
he was determined to take care of Omega himself. He was 
getting to be quite a boy now, but Omega, from cruel treat- 
ment and exposure was getting so frail it shocked him to 


26 


Alpha and Omega 


look at her. The bloom had left her cheeks and the bright- 
ness had gone from her eyes. He feared she was going to 
die. Oh! what could he do for poor Omega? If she 
should die, his only companion, he could not live. They were 
shunned by the better class of children and they were too 
well reared to associate with the lower class. It seemed to 
them they had not a friend in the world but each other ; but 
this drew them nearer together than ever. The better class 
of children when they tried to play with them would make 
fun of their clothes and say: 

"‘Your mother is a drunkard and drinks up your good 
clothes.” 

Others would say: 

“Your good clothes are all down in Harvey’s wine bar- 
rels.” 

The children could not help crying, but that did not help 
them any. Alpha started out one morning in search of 
work. Some of the boys told him he could get papers to 
sell, and he could have half he received for the papers. He 
was delighted over this and went up the street whistling 
though his knees and elbows were out. He was happy for 
he was going to make enough money to buy Omega a new 
dress so she could be like other girls. He got an armful 
of papers and before night he had sold the last one of them, 
but as usual his cruel mother took the money from him and 
went up town to get drunk on it. When she came home she 
beat both of the children, then fell back of the door and was 
soon fast asleep. 

Alpha had been planning all day to himself what he would 
do if his cruel mother should take away the money he had 
earned to buy Omega a dress, for she was in rags as 
well as himself. He did not care for himself, but he did 
not want to see his poor sick sister suffer. At last the 
thought occurred to him to run away from the place they 
called home. If he could persuade Omega to go with him, 


Alpha and Omega 


27 


they would leave the town and he would sell papers for a 
living. Some man had told him he believed his sister could 
get a position at a theater to sing and play. This thought 
had never occurred to him before. He would sell papers un- 
til his sister was entirely well, then he would get her into a 
theater. She could play almost any kind of an instrument 
and sing like a nightingale. He did not know why he had 
not thought of this before. Any place was better than living 
with old Mogy, as they called her to themselves. Old 
Mogy would be too drunk to hunt for them for a day or 
two and they would hide in a part of the town where she 
could not find them. He would sell papers for a few .days, 
then he would get a room as old Mogy had done. He whis- 
pered his plans to Omega, who at first was afraid to run 
away, lest old Mogy should find them and bring them home 
and beat them to death. 

“Never fear, little sister, you do as I want you to and we 
will come out all right,” and Omega, with her loving ways 
and yielding disposition, gave up to her brother as if he were 
ten years her senior. She always gave up to Alpha. As 
quietly as two mice the children slipped through the house. 
They had no clothing to take with them. All they possessed 
in the world was what they had on and their violin and banjo, 
which both of them played. Old Mogy would have sold 
these long ago for whiskey, only she knew if she did the 
children would not have any way to earn her a few pennies 
to buy whiskey with. She had intended to get them a posi- 
tion on the stage in some theater and they would have their 
instruments to play on. 

After they had slipped from the room Omega thought of 
the little tin box which their sister Eliza had given Mogy 
when they left home. She remembered hearing her say : 

“There is something in this box which belonged to mother. 
The children, perhaps, will prize it in after years. It is of 
no value in itself, but keep it for them.” 


28 


Alpha and Omega 


“Could we take the box with us?” whispered Omega. 
“Poor mamma,” she said. 

Alpha put his arms around her and kissed her and told 
her to run for the corner of Tenth and Bush street, and 
he would slip in and get the box without waking old Mogy 
who was good for a couple of days anyway, as she had two 
bottles of whiskey at her side. She would never leave the 
house while it lasted. Alpha was as good as his word and 
made his escape with the box for Omega. He could not find 
the key to the box which he had never seen, but he had got 
the box to please Omega. That was all he cared for. He 
was in hopes never to see old Mogy again, and if she 
found them he would fight her before he would let her take 
poor Omega back to that hog’s nest as the boys called their 
home. 

They wandered around the greater part of the night. At 
last they found an old shed or stable that would protect 
them from the cold, as there was some straw in it. Omega 
was nearly exhausted from hunger and walking. She de- 
clared she could not go a step farther, so the barn sheltered 
them the rest of the night. Omega was not able to walk 
any farther for she was really sick. Her hands were hot 
and feverish. 

“I cannot go any farther, brother,” she said. “I must die 
here.” 

“No, little sister, you are not going to die. I will take 
my banjo and go out on the street to play a few pieces. We 
are miles from old Mogy. She will not catch us now, so 
you lie still and I will bring you back something to eat.” 

“Oh, if I had a drink of milk!” she sobbed. 

“I will get you some milk, dear sister ; lie still.” 

So Alpha started out with a heavy heart and sore feet, 
hoping and praying he might make a few cents to buy a loaf 
of bread and some milk for Omega. 


Alpha and Omega 


29 


Poor Omega! She saw her brother leave the bam, and 
then she felt as if she were deserted. She tried to sleep on 
her bed of straw, but the thoughts whirling through her 
brain prevented her from doing so. She thought of old 
Mogy, how angry she would be when she found out they 
had deserted her. She wondered if the old woman would 
find them there, or if she would send one of the blue-coated 
policemen to bring them home. She would rather die than 
go back to old Mogy and suffer from her abuse. Then she 
thought of Eliza and Lena, and wondered if they could find 
them. O, if her sisters could only have known how mean 
old Mogy would be to them they would never have let her 
take them away! She loved the children, so she told the 
girls, and she had a few hundred dollars saved up which she 
would use for the children’s education. She would do all 
in her power for them. The girls really thought she loved 
the twins and would do what was right by them, and as they 
had their own living to make they thought it would be better 
for the children to be with some one they knew than to be 
among entire strangers. 

“O, if Eliza only knew how we have suffered,” thought 
Omega, “she would never have let old Mogy have us; but 
perhaps she will never know and I may die here all alone. 
Then what will poor Alpha do without me ? I must live for 
Alpha’s sake. She closed her eyes and was soon in a gentle 
slumber, nor did she awake until she heard Alpha slipping 
into the barn, his eyes dancing with joy. He had a cup of 
milk, a loaf of bread, and some cookies for Omega, and a 
few cents in his pocket. But Omega was too weak to eat. 
She had gone without food so long she had lost her appetite. 
She drank part of the milk and felt much better, but was 
too weak to sit up. Poor Alpha was almost heartbroken 
when he saw his sister’s condition. 

“What shall I do, little sister?” he said. “You must have 
medicine and help. I will go for help.” 


30 


Alpha and Omega 


“But where can you go?’" inquired Omega. “There is no 
one we know.” 

“This morning when I was out,” said Alpha, “I was play- 
ing on the banjo in front of a grocery store when a man 
came along. He stood and listened to my playing for some 
time. Then he asked me where I lived, and I told him I 
had no home. Then he said I ought to get on the stage 
somewhere. I told him that was what I would like to do 
and he promised to try to get a position for me. Now I 
was thinking I would try to find him, for he talked very 
kindly to me. I will tell him we have no home. Perhaps 
he will help us to find a place to live. I will tell him' you 
are sick and ask him to help us.” 

But Alpha’s search was in vain. He tried for hours to 
find his good friend but did not succeed. He returned to 
Omega who was still unable to sit up. 

“Do not be discouraged, little girl,” he said, “I will try 
to find him in the morning.” 

Another night the barn sheltered them ; but by the break of 
day Alpha was out again with his banjo in search of the 
man who had talked so kindly the day before. He thought 
if he went down to the store about the same time that he 
had been there the morning before he might find him going 
to his work. This time he was successful, for he had not 
played more than one or two tunes when to his surprise 
there stood before him the man he was in search of. 

“So you are here again, my little man,” he said, smilingly. 
“You are a welcome visitor. I always enjoy music in the 
early morning, when everything is so quiet and the air is 
so pure and fresh. I hope to see you often,” he said, as he 
slipped another half-dollar into the boy’s hand and started 
off. Alpha detained him to tell the story of his and his 
sister’s needs ; but as he tried to talk the tears came to his 
eyes, and he choked up and could not utter a word for a 
few minutes. The kind gentleman saw he was in trouble 


Alpha and Omega 


31 


of some kind. He stepped to his side, and laid his hand 
on the boy’s shoulder. 

“What is the matter, my boy?” he asked. “What grieves 
you so?” And still Alpha could not speak. “Can I help 
you, my little man, in any way ?” The child took courage 
and said : “O, my poor Omega,” and burst out crying. 

“Who is Omega?” the kind gentleman asked, and again 
the boy took courage and tried to talk. 

She is my sister. O, she is so sick and I fear she is go- 
ing to die.” 

“Where is your sister?” asked the stranger in a kinder 
tone then ever, for he could see the boy felt very sad. 

“O, sir, if you only knew our story you would pity us. 
My poor Omega,” again he said. 

“Brace up, my little man. Perhaps I may be able to do 
something for you and Omega if you will only tell me your 
story. Walk down a few blocks to my place of business 
and I will listen to you. Then I will see what I can do for 
you.” 

Alpha accepted the stranger’s kind offer and walked to 
his store with him. He had dried his tears by this time 
and braced up like a man. Alpha told the gentleman of 
the beautiful home in which they had been reared with a 
governess to teach them and his loving father and mother 
to care for them. He told him their parents had died and 
left them and his sisters were not able to take care of them 
and had let their old nurse have them ; and how she had run 
away with them and his sisters did not know where they 
were; how she was good to them at first but had taken to 
drinking and then was unkind to them ; how she made them 
work and go out on the street at night, rain or shine, and 
play as long as any one would listen to them ; how she would 
beat them when they went home because they did not get 
more money for her to buy whiskey with; how she kept 
them for days on dry bread and water and sometimes they 


32 


Alpha and Omega 


did not have even that much to eat, and no place to sleep, 
only on a bed of straw and rags, 

“Often,” he said, and his weak voice trembled, “we have 
returned home without a dry thread of clothes on and no 
fire to warm us by, and she would whip us and send us to 
bed without a crust of bread though we had not had since 
morning enough to satisfy hunger. Poor Omega! She is 
not as strong as I am and she could not stand such harsh 
treatment. She has been sick for months and would have 
starved to death before this if some kind lady had not given 
us a few pennies now and then to buy us something to eat. 
Omega did not want to buy anything to eat with her money. 
She was afraid old Mogy would find it out and beat us 
for it; but I insisted on buying food, for the money was 
given to us for that purpose and the first time we bought 
anything we took it home so old Mogy could share with 
us. She beat us almost to death because we spent the money 
for such ‘truck’ as she called it. She said we did not need 
it.” 

“Who is old Mogy ?” asked the kind gentleman. 

“She was our nurse when mother was alive and we were 
small. She was good and kind then, and did not drink. 
She made us call her mother, and she said she was our own 
mother, and we must never tell any one that we ever had 
any other mother than her. Now we have run away from 
her, and poor Omega is so sick,” said the boy, and he com- 
menced to cry. 

“Where is Omega, now ?” asked the man. 

“We found an old barn down here in the outskirts of 
town. We took shelter there the first night we ran away, 
and poor Omega is too sick to leave there. O, won’t you 
do something for my sister, kind sir? I fear she will die.” 

The stranger had been listening attentively to the story. 
He was struck by the boy’s marvelous beauty and his touch- 
ing words. He could tell by his expression that every word 


Alpha and Omega 


33 


he uttered was true, and was deeply affected thereby. 

“I will go with you to see Omega,” he said, and the boy’s 
eyes brightened as they turned to go. 

When they reached the miserable old shed where Omega 
was, she was unconscious and did not recognize her brother, 
but kept talking about old Mogy, and wondered if she 
would find them there. Then she called for Alpha, but did 
not recognize him when he spoke to her. She startled at 
his voice and whispered : 

“Is that Mogy?” 

Poor Alpha could not keep from crying, and kind Mr. 
Norton saw that she was in a critical condition. He told 
Alpha to remain with his sister until he could go for a car- 
riage to take Omega and himself to his house. It was not 
long until Mr. Norton returned with his kind wife to the 
children’s place of refuge. They carried Omega out and 
laid her on a bed in the carriage and drove as fast as they 
could to their beautiful home. Omega was carried into the 
house and kind Mrs. Norton sponged her off and put clean 
clothes on her and put her into her own daughter’s bed 
which had not been occupied for months. When she was 
laid between the clean linen sheets. Omega fell into a gentle 
slumber. Mrs. Norton watched by her side, while her hus- 
band went for a physician. The doctor said that the child 
had brain fever and was so low she would not recover un- 
less she had the best of care ; but he knew she would not lack 
for such in the kind hands of Mrs. Norton. He had been 
their physician for years and knew what she was in sickness. 

The tears came to Mrs. Norton’s eyes when the doctor 
said this for it recalled to her memory how her poor Lillian 
had lain in the same bed and how she had watched by the 
child before God had Called her home a few months before. 
She could not take her eyes off Omega as she lay there 
unconscious. She thought she was the most beautiful child 
she had ever seen. Her long golden curls lay on the 


34 


Alpha and Omega 


pillow, matted with straw from her resting place two nights 
before. Mr. Norton said he had needed a boy for some 
time to help him in the store, so Alpha could have a home 
with his sister. Mr. Norton bought him some clothes and 
when Alpha had put them on you would hardly recognize 
him as the ragged urchin who had played the banjo in front 
of the store in the morning. Mr. Norton thought, as he saw 
Alpha seated at his dinner-table, that he was the most gen- 
tlemanly little fellow he had ever seen for his age and the 
way he had been abused; for Alpha still had scars on his 
body where old Mogy had beat him. The wounds she had 
made on his body the night he ran away commenced to 
bleed as he removed the ragged shirt from his shoulders, 
so Mr. Norton had the doctor dress his wounds as well as 
Omega’s for she had deep wounds on her body also. 

“Poor child,” said Mrs. Norton, as the doctor was dress- 
ing her wounds, “how much she must have suffered while 
with that old woman.” 

“Old Mogy should be punished for her ill treatment of 
the children,” said the doctor, and Mrs. Norton thought so, 
too. 

It was weeks before Omega could even sit up ; but under 
the kind, loving care of Mrs. Norton, in a few months she 
was quite herself again. 

Now we will return to old Mogy. She did not miss the 
children for a couple of days for she was too drunk to know 
anything; but when she sobered up she could not find them 
and was very angry. She hunted for them for days and 
went at night where they used to play on the street corner, 
but could not find them or hear anything of them. She 
made her complaint to a policeman about the children run- 
ning away. The chief of police was notified and he was on 
the lookout for them. Not knowing how unkind she was 
to them, he intended to take them home to hel*. But months 
went by and she could hear nothing of the children. She 


Alpha and Omega 


35 


had not the money to buy whiskey with as she had when 
the children were with her ; but still she got her liquor. She 
did not give up hunting for the children for she wanted to 
punish them if possible for running away. But Alpha and 
Omega were too far away from her and too secure in kind 
Mrs. Norton’s house for old Mogy to find them. The ven- 
geance she swore on them when she was intoxicated had no 
effect on the children. They were happy and contented 
where they were. 

Months ran into a year, and still old Mogy never heard 
of the children. Mrs. Norton sent them to school until they 
graduated from the public school, then Alpha thought he 
had education enough and wanted to quit school and get a 
position on a salary so he would be able to assist Omega to 
finish her education; but Mr. and Mrs. Norton would not 
consent for him to do so. They told him they wanted him 
to go to high school and fit himself for a higher position than 
a common clerk. So Alpha assisted Mr. Norton in the 
store during his hours out of school and he and Omiega 
were sent to high school. Mr. and Mrs. Norton treated 
the children the same as if they were their own for they 
had no children on whom to lavish their wealth. Mrs. Nor- 
ton declared she could not keep house without Omega and 
she was always worried when the girl was out of her sight, 
for fear something would happen to her. Alpha and Omega 
had a great desire for stage life, and Mr. and Mrs. Norton 
could not persuade them to give it up. So Omega was al- 
lowed to accept a position at one of the grandest theaters 
in the city. 

During her stay at Mrs. Norton’s Omega had won many 
friends. Among them was the son of a wealthy merchant 
who had met Omega some months before. At the time of 
their meeting Mr. Benton was paying his attentions to an 
heiress, Miss Violet Howard. Violet became very jealous 
of Omega when she saw that Mr. Benton had taken a fancy 


36 


Alpha and Omega 


to her, and took it on herself to tell him the story of the 
two waifs at Mr. Norton’s house. With a sneer she said: 

am more than surprised at you, Herbert, for paying 
so much attention to waifs. I always knew you were kind* 
hearted, but I did not think you would go to the street to 
select your company. I thought you were reared in better 
society than that. For my part I cannot endure such com- 
pany.” 

She curled up her nose and turned around on her heels 
with a foolish laugh, then faced Herbert again waiting for 
the young man’s reply. 

“I am very thankful to you, Miss Howard, for your in- 
formation in regard to Miss Merrial ; but sometimes we en- 
tertain angels unawares. I do not look into the past; it is 
with the future I am concerned. For my part, I consider 
Miss Merrial a perfect lady, worthy of anyone’s friendship.” 

Violet turned red at this sentence and made several sneer- 
ing remarks, concluding in a haughty tone with : 

“I see you have fallen in love with the waif as many others 
have done. There is nothing to her, only she has a hand- 
some face.” 

Herbert Benton thought differently. He was ready to 
defend Omega for he thought she was one of the noblest 
young women he had ever met. He had been looking for 
days for a chance to ask Omega to be his wife. He feared 
to do so, even with the advantages of his wealth, for he 
thought if Omega should refuse him his life would be ruined. 
He did not care for what Violet Howard or the world 
thought of him. His only thoughts were of Omega and his 
love for her. 

The evening came at last to which Omega had been look- 
ing forward for weeks past, when she should make her first 
appearance on the stage. Mrs. Norton had used excellent 
taste in selecting Omega’s costume for this first night. It 
was a dainty white silk dress which fitted her delicate form 


Alpha and Omega 


37 


very closely and added to her beauty. She was greeted with 
applause at her entrance. 

Mrs. Norton was indeed a proud mother. She thought 
Omega looked as if she had been sent down from heaven. 
She knew the girl would have many admirers. Herbert 
Benton was there. He could not take his eyes off her. He 
thought she was the loveliest of human beings. Then the 
stinging words of Violet flashed to his memory and he won- 
dered how anyone could be so cruel to one so lovely as Ome- 
ga was. He knew jealousy was the cause of it. 

When the first perform^ance was over, friends congratu- 
lated Omega on her grand success as an actress. As Mr. 
Benton handed her a large bouquet of tea roses, Violet 
Howard made her appearance on the scene. She said : 

^T, for my part, can hardly see how anyone so low can 
rise to such a high position. Some people can start out in 
rags and pick banjos on street corners and if they fall into 
the hands of kind people who have pity for them, they are 
taken to a king’s palace and cared for because there is a 
spark of beauty lingering about their countenance. I, for 
my part, do not care to associate with such people.” And 
she turned up her nose and walked away. 

The stinging words of Violet had reached the ears of 
Omega and her feelings were crushed. She staggered and 
fell into Mother Norton’s arms. As she did so, Violet 
brushed by her with her silken skirts rustling at Omega’s 
side. Again she spoke: 

^‘Carry the waif home and put her to bed. It won’t be 
the first time it has been done.” 

Friends gathered around Omega. Among them was a 
strange face. From the appearance of the person she was 
a lady of wealth. She had heard the stinging words of 
Violet and as she handed Mrs. Norton her card she asked 
permission to call on the young lady as soon as she re- 
covered, which she hoped would be soon. 


38 


Alpha and Omega 


“I am struck with her marvelous beauty,” she said, and 
the wonderful talent she possesses. I would like to know 
something of the young lady’s history. Perhaps I may be 
of some assistance to her.” 

Mrs. Norton thanked her for the interest she had mani- 
fested in Omega, and told her she would be pleased to have 
her call at any time. She gave the lady her card, but there 
was no time for further conversation as a carriage was at 
the door to take Omega home. For the first time Mrs. Nor- 
ton noticed the address on the card. She was more than 
surprised when she saw the name Madam Van Lone. She 
had read in the daily paper that Madam Van Lone had 
arrived from Paris and intended to remain in the city for 
a time on account of poor health. Mrs. Norton felt her- 
self tremble as she read the name. What could Madam 
Van Lone want to interview her Omega for? A feeling 
came over her that she was about to lose her girl. 

Madam Van Lone made her appearance at the Norton’s 
the next afternoon and asked permission to see the young 
lady. She was shown to the drawing-room to await Ome- 
ga’s appearance. In a few minutes Omega was in her pres- 
ence. Madam Van Lone rose to her feet and met Omega 
as she entered the door. 

“Miss Norton, I believe,” said Madam Van Lone. “I am 
happy to meet you.” 

Omega’s weak frame trembled as she took the hand 
Madam Van Lone extended. 

“I am sorry,” her visitor continued, “that you had the 
misfortune to faint last evening, after such an excellent per- 
formance. I cannot tell when I have enjoyed singing more 
than I did last evening. You have a wonderful voice and 
could make a fortune if you could go to France and take 
lessons for a short time.” 

“I feel very grateful to you, Madam Van Lone, for the 
compliment you have given me in regard to my singing. 
I do not deserve so much praise.” 


Alpha and Omega 


39 


“May I ask how long you have been on the stage?” 

“Last evening was my first appearance on any stage. I 
used to play some in public, however, before I came to 
Mother Norton’s.” 

“Then Mrs. Norton is not your own mother?” 

“No, madam,” said Omega, and her face changed to a 
deathly white as she thought of the stinging words of Violet 
Howard the night before. ^^‘Mrs. Norton has been a good 
kind mother to us.” 

“Have you a sister?” 

“No, madam, but I have a twin brother. His name is 
Alpha.” 

Now it was Madam Van Lone who turned pale. 

“Have I hurt you?” asked the gentle voice of Omega, 
as she arose and stood by the side of Aladam Van Lone 
who sank back into the chair apparently exhausted. 

“No, dear, only the name is quite a favorite with me and 
it recalls to my memory an incident which happened years 
ago. Would you mind telling me your first name, or a part 
of your history?” asked Madam Van Lone, “before you 
came to Mrs. Norton’s to live? I mean, you see I feel in- 
terested in you. Pardon me for speaking of it for I would 
not hurt your feelings but I heard the stinging words of 
Miss Howard last evening. I met her at a banquet a few 
evenings ago and was quite surprised at her shocking re- 
marks. At the same time my heart went out to you as if 
you were my own daughter. I had a daughter, once. She 
left me when an infant. I have been childless since. Worlds 
would I give, were they mine, if I could see that infant 
grown into womanhood as you have grown. I imagine she 
would have been as beautiful as you are.” 

“Thank you. Madam Van Lone,” said Omega, as she saw 
the tears gather in her visitor’s eyes, her heart touched for 
one who had had trouble as well as herself. 


40 


Alpha and Omega 


Madam Van Lone watched every movement of Omega 
and for the first time since the conversation commenced she 
noticed a likeness to a photograph of herself taken years 
ago. Again the tears came to her eyes. Omega placed her 
soft hand on Madam Van Lone’s forehead. The woman hid 
her face for a moment in her handkerchief and sobbed aloud. 

‘T am sorry,” said Omega, “that I have caused you such 
deep pain,” beginning to cry herself. 

“Do not be grieved, my child. I shall be better in a few 
moments.” Madam Van Lone calmed herself and again 
asked Omega her name. When she mentioned Omega Mer- 
rial. Madam Van Lone uttered a low cry and fainted. 
Omega rang for help and Madam Van Lone was soon re- 
stored to consciousness. She took her departure from the 
Nortons’ without any explanation and Omega was left to 
ponder over her visitor’s strange actions. 

As soon as Alpha returned from the store, she related the 
experiences of the afternoon. Alpha was quite surprised as 
well as Mr. and Mrs. Norton, for they could not understand 
Madam Van Lone’s conduct. 

The next morning Mrs. Norton received a note in an un- 
known writing asking her to call at an early date at a cer- 
tain number on Linden street and Madam Van Lone’s name 
appeared at the bottom of the note. This was another sur- 
prise to Mrs. Norton. She could not understand why Mad- 
am Van Lone had sent for her. She thought perhaps her 
visit to Madam Van Lone might reveal something of the 
whereabouts of Alpha’s and Omega’s sisters as they had 
tried very hard to find out where they were living. 

Madam Van Lone was seated in her easy chair when a 
servant entered bearing Mrs. Norton’s card. 

“Show the lady in at once,” said Madam Van Lone. Mrs. 
Norton was shown into Madam Van Lone’s private parlor. 
Madam Van Lone arose and extended her hand to Mrs. 
Norton. 


Alpha and Omega 


41 


“I am glad to see you. I trust you will pardon me for 
intruding on your time and patience. I suppose you will 
most certainly realize why I have sent for you. I feel a 
deep concern in the young lady at your house. She tells 
me she is not your daughter but that you have been a good, 
kind, loving mother to her, her own parents being dead. 
You may be able to help me unravel a mystery I shall never 
be able to solve by myself. How long have you had this 
young lady with you?'' 

“Nearly five years," said kind Mrs. Norton, who had a 
voice like a cooing dove. 

“Would you mind telling me what you know in regard 
to her history?" 

Mrs. Norton related Alpha's and Omega's history just as 
she had heard it thousands of times from the children. She 
told how their parents had died and their sisters had given 
them to their old nurse ; how she had abused them and had 
made them work to buy her liquor and they had run away 
from her; how Mr. Norton had first seen Alpha; how sick 
Omega was when they found her in an old shed and they 
had taken care of them ever since. 

“You do not know where their sisters are now?" asked 
Madam Van Lone. 

“No, the children never heard from them after old Mogy 
as they called her, had run away with them." 

Then she asked : 

“Are you sure Mr. and Mrs. Merrial were their own par- 
ents ?" 

“All I know is what the children have told me. They 
said their parents were wealthy when they were little. They 
had a nurse, and then a French governess. After their 
mother died, their father lost his money in some way and 
the children were then sent to public school." 

Madam Van Lone listened attentively to Mrs. Norton’s 
story of the children. Then again her own likeness to 


42 


Alpha and Omega 


Omega flashed before her eyes. She rose from her chair, 
went to a trunk, and returned with a photograph. She 
asked Mrs. Norton if she had ever seen anyone who looked 
like that. 

“Great Heavens !” exclaimed Mrs. Norton. “It is Omega 
herself. Where did you get this photograph 

“Can we send for Omega?” asked Madam Van Lone. 
“Then I will tell you my story and why this picture looks 
so much like her.” 

It was not long until Omega was in Madam Van Lone’s 
parlor. She almost had the appearance of an angel to 
Madam Van Lone as she entered her door. With her beau- 
tiful blue eyes and golden hair, with her white dress and 
loving smiles she looked so pure and sweet that Madam 
Van Lone was almost tempted to clasp her to her bosom 
and tell her her secret but dared not do so for fear of start- 
ling her. When Omega was questioned in regard to her 
parents she could tell no more than Mrs. Norton had already 
done. If she only knew where her sisters were living she 
might be able to find out something in regard to their birth. 
Madam Van Lone drew a chair near Omega and sitting 
down beside her, took the girl’s hands in hers and kissed 
them. 

“Now do not be frightened, dear, but listen to my story. 
It is a long, sad one. Some years ago, I was young and 
beautiful like you.” 

Omega looked in Madam Van Lone’s face and thought 
she had not changed much. Although her hair was slightly 
streaked with gray above her temples, and her face bore 
lines of sorrow, she was still very handsome in face and 
form. Twenty years of anxiety and grief had changed the 
once beautiful girl to a motherly looking lady; yet Omega 
thought she had never seen anyone so beautiful as Madam 
Van Lone. 


Alpha and Omega 


43 


'‘When I was nearly twenty years old I had many 
suitors. Among them was Sir William Van Lone, who 
was to be his uncle’s heir, providing Sir William married to 
please him. Lord Dunnreith had a wife selected for his 
nephew, a woman who had large possessions and great 
wealth. She was not a pretty girl, but she had every ad- 
vantage in the world and lacked for nothing which money 
could buy. Sir William did not see things as his uncle did. 
He thought he was capable of choosing a wife for himself. 
His uncle lavished all his wealth upon him, but should he 
displease his uncle his means of support would be cut off. 

“When Sir William was about twenty-two years of age he 
was invited to a big dinner party at Lady Isabel Domes’ 
house. I had the honor of being there that evening, as my 
aunt was quite a friend of Lady Isabel Domes, though not 
her equal in rank. I was introduced to Sir William that 
evening, and as I have said to my friends, it was love at first 
sight. He dared not let his uncle find it out, but came se- 
cretly to my house, evening after evening, until he went so 
far as to ask me to be his wife. We were both young and be- 
cause of our love for each other we did not realize the trouble 
which would befall Sir William through such a marriage. 
We were secretly married, my husband thinking he could ar- 
range everything satisfactory with his uncle if he knew an ir- 
revocable step had been taken. His uncle being of a stern na- 
ture, swore vengeance on his nephew if he did not marry 
to suit him. Not a pound of his money should he have. 
This naturally justified us in living apart, we thought, keep- 
ing our marriage a secret. Not one of our relatives or 
friends knew of our marriage. 

“Sir William was a faithful husband to me, nor did I 
know a want that money could supply. All the request he 
made of me was that I keep his secret. If it should be re- 
vealed he, as well as myself, would suffer the consequences. 
We thought as Lord Dunnreith was advancing in years, he 


44 


Alpha and Omega 


would not live much longer. Then Sir William would be 
his sole heir. He would announce our marriage publicly, 
and the world would receive me as Lady Dunnreith. Be- 
ing true to me the uncle could not persuade Sir William to 
marry the woman he had selected for his wife, though he 
had to show courtesy to her. It gave me considerable pain 
to see my husband so kind to another ; but I dared not reveal 
our secret. He assured me at all our meetings no one had 
his heart but me, and he would make it known to the world 
at the first possible moment he could do so. I had confi- 
dence in him and I knew he loved me. He devoted himself 
to me whenever he could do so without fear of detection. 

‘‘We had kept our secret about eighteen months, when I 
realized I was to be a mother. What should I do ? I could 
not stay with my aunt as she was a great friend of Lady 
Isabel Domes, and Lady Isabel was very intimate with Lord 
Dunnreith. Our secret would be found out, or my aunt 
would feel I had disgraced her as well as myself for life. 
I dared not stay there. Weeks went by before I had -a 
chance to talk with my husband alone and during those 
anxious hours I had decided to go abroad until it was over. 
I could sing and play as Omega does. I had had many 
opportunities to go on the stage, but my aunt would not 
allow me to accept such a position. She was not rich but 
had moderate means, enough for us both without me accept- 
ing a stage position. My parents had died a few years be- 
fore and as she was the only relative I had she sent for me 
to make my home with her. She had been kind to me and 
I could not disgrace her, neither could I let our secret be 
known. 

“As soon as I saw my husband alone I told him my 
trouble. I could see he was affected by it, although he was 
not unkind to me. Sir William could not be unkind to any 
one. He was deeply grieved because he must give me up 
and send me alone to a foreign country as I had planned. 


Alpha and Omega 


45 


He wanted to be with me and my child when it came, but 
this was impossible, so we planned together as best he could. 
He said he did not want our baby nor me to want for any- 
thing. Things were arranged to send me to a foreign coun- 
try and I, with a competent nurse, started for parts un- 
known to me. I would rather have died there than be torn 
away from my husband at that time, but I realized it must 
be so. He had made me promise I would return home as 
soon as I was able to travel, for he could not have me so 
far away from him so long. I was to find a competent wo- 
man with whom to leave my baby on a fair salary and re- 
turn to my aunt’s as soon as I was able to travel. I made 
my aunt believe I had accepted a position on the stage for 
a few months and she finally gave her consent to my going 
abroad. 

Our first stop was at Lanark. There Sir William came to 
see me under an assumed name and stayed with me for 
several days. It nearly broke my heart to have him return 
to his uncle’s, and leave me alone. He promised to write 
as often as he could and he kept his word. His letters were 
so afifectionate and encouraging that I dared not give up in 
despair, but looked forward to the time when I could have 
my husband and child with me, and we could be happy to- 
gether. My husband pressed me to his bosom when he left 
me. 

‘Darling,’ he said, ‘place our baby in good hands, and 
I assure you it shall not want, neither shall you. God grant 
that I may have you both with me in a short time ! I will 
place enough money in any bank you suggest for the sup- 
port of our child until we can claim it as our own. Money 
is no object to me, I am praying for the time to come when 
I can have you and baby with me, never to part until death 
parts us.’ He pressed in my hand, as he bade me goodbye, 
a little gold necklace and ring. '‘This,’ he said, ‘is to be 


46 


Alpha and Omega 


placed on the neck and finger of our darling in memory of 
its father.’ He kissed me goodbye and returned to his home. 

“I soon knew that Lanark was not the place in which I 
wanted my baby born and decided to go to America. I 
thought the people would be kind to me there. I sailed as 
soon as I could for New York, and hearing Hartford spoken 
of as a beautiful city, I went there one day, took a fancy to 
the city and decided to remain. I had been there but two 
weeks when I became the mother of two beautiful children 
— a boy and a girl. I did not tell my history to my physi- 
cian or nurse. I only said that cruel fate must separate me 
for a time from my babies and asked the doctor if he knew 
of a good, competent, Christian woman with whom I could 
leave them for a time at a fair salary. He told me of a 
woman whom he had attended several months before who 
had just lost her baby. She was a good as well as competent 
woman to care for children and he was sure my babies would 
receive good care in her hands. 

kissed my darlings, pressed them to my bosom, gave 
them their names — ^Alpha and Omega — and asked God’s 
blessing upon them. Then they were placed in a basket 
with an expensive wardrobe and money to pay for a month’s 
keeping for the two with a note to the kind lady whom I 
hoped would take them, telling her where and how she was 
to get the money for the babies. I sent my darlings out in 
this cruel world to be cared for by strangers. God forgive 
me for doing so!” and she burst into tears. It was some 
time before she could resume her story and when she did 
it was in broken tones. 

"‘All the consolation I had in giving my babies up was that 
I was soon to return to my husband, who was dearer to me 
than life. In a few weeks I left America and my darlings. 
It nearly broke my heart to do so but I could not take them 
with me. I returned to my aunt’s and for several years was 
where I could see my husband occasionally. Then Lord 


Alpha and Omega 


47 


Dunnreith’s health begain to fail him and he insisted on his 
nephew taking him to Italy. This meant to me a separation 
from my husband, perhaps for years, anyway until after 
Lord Dunnreith’s death. My husband wrote to me as often 
as he could, but he was afraid our secret in some way would 
reveal itself. 

“He could see his uncle was failing and did not write as 
often as he would have liked to do. Sometimes it was 
months before I heard from him, yet I consoled myself the 
best I could that he and the babies were all right. I would 
be notified through the bank if the babies were not. I was 
in hopes soon to be happy with my husband and babies, but 
such was not to be my lot. The worry and grief caused my 
health to fail me and for two years I was almost a wreck. 
Then I was taken seriously ill and lingered for months be- 
fore I was able to sit up. I did not want for anything. My 
deepest grief was that my husband had ceased to write to 
me. 

“As soon as I was able to travel I went to Italy, hoping 
to find my husband. As soon as I arrived there I heard 
of Lord Dunnreith’s death; also the death of his nephew. 
Sir William, who died shortly after his uncle without leav- 
ing an heir. I made my marriage with Sir William public 
and claimed his estate. The world doubted me at first, but 
when all proofs were brought forward the world hadn’t the 
slightest doubt of my story. When I came into possession 
of my husband’s wealth I at once set about to find my 
babies. I wrote to the bank to find out where they were. 
The money for the children’s support had been cut off for 
some cause. I cannot account for this only that my hus- 
band, through his uncle’s prolonged illness and death and 
his own lingering sickness had forgotten our babies, al- 
though this will remain a mystery to me. It was found out 
afterward, through valuable papers my husband had left. 


48 


Alpha and Omega 


that his wife and offspring were the sole heirs to his estate, 
so he was faithful to us until death. 

“I traveled from place to place in search of my babies, 
but I could hear nothing of them. In my memory they had 
grown dearer than my own life, for they were all I had, 
then. I returned to Hartford. The Merrial family had 
moved away, no one knew where. I almost gave up in 
despair of finding my darlings ; but I have kept on traveling 
from place to place, hoping to find them. The only sure 
clue I knew by which I would be able to find them was their 
unusual names. Now, my dear Omega, there is not the 
slightest doubt in my mind, but that you are my little 
Omega.” She clasped the girl to her bosom and sank back 
upon the sofa in a dead faint. 

Omega and Mrs. Norton were spellbound. They had lis- 
tened attentively to Madam Van Lone’s story and neither 
had the slightest doubt but that it was true and Alpha and 
Omega were really Madam Van Lone’s children. Alpha 
was sent for at once and Omega told him the story in as 
few words as possible, while Mrs. Norton and the servants 
were bringing Madam Van Lone back to consciousness. She 
was so exhausted from her long story she was not able to 
talk any more then. Mrs. Norton with the two children 
remained with her the rest of the evening. Madam Van 
Lone would not consent for Alpha and Omega to leave her 
for fear she would lose them again. 

Omega remembered the little box they had brought from 
old Mogy’s hut the night they ran away. They had no 
key to open the box with, so she had stored it away all these 
years thinking to get a key for it so as not to break the 
lock. Omega sent Alpha to get the box and have a key 
fitted to the lock. Alpha returned in a few hours with the 
box, which was carried into Madam Van Lone’s presence 
and opened. She gave a little scream as she saw the little 
necklace and ring fall to the floor. She recognized them at 


Alpha and Omega 


49 


once. Yes, these were her babies’ jewelry, the same pieces 
Sir William had kissed and given to her to place on the neck 
of their new-born child. She took the little necklace and 
ring in her hand, kissed them as their father had done years 
before, then pressed them to her bosom and thanked God, 
through her tears, she had found her children. Grown as 
they were into manhood and womanhood, yet they were 
hers. The letter in her own handwriting was also preserved 
in the box. In looking at the locket, they touched a little 
spring which in all probability had not been discovered be- 
fore. The locket flew open and revealed Sir William’s pic- 
ture, a facsimile of the one Madam Van Lone had worn on 
her neck since her wedding morn. There could be no doubt 
but that their father wanted his little one to wear his pic- 
ture unknown to it as well as his wife, though death had 
deprived Alpha and Omega of a loving father, but they 
were thrown into the hands of a kind, loving mother, who 
would sacrifice her life for her children. 

Three years have passed since Madam Van Lone first had 
the pleasure of being called mother by her children. She 
has a son and daughter of whom to be proud — ^the most 
beautiful and accomplished young people in the town. The 
stinging remarks of Violet Howard had no effect on Ome- 
ga’s feelings as she went about with her own mother. 
Madam Van Lone, with her wealth, could buy and sell Vio- 
let Howard a number of times. Violet tried to be her best 
friend, and Omega was not unladylike enough to treat her 
unkindly; but they could never be intimate. 

Madam Van Lone would look at her children and think 
how much Alpha looked and acted like his father, although 
he had never seen him; and Omega was the image of her- 
self at the girl’s age. Many wealthy gentlemen sought 
Omega’s hand in marriage ; but she chose the one who had 
been kind to her and loved her when he knew she was an 
outcast, and this one had been Violet Howard’s lover before 


50 


Alpha and Omega 


he met Omega. (He had title as well as wealth and pos- 
sessions himself.) 

Alpha married the daughter of Dr. Stone, the physician 
who attended to the children’s wounds when they first en- 
tered the Norton home. 

Alpha and Omega in their love for their own mother did 
not forget their adopted father and mother, the Merrials, 
nor the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Norton, who had been a 
kind father and mother to them in time of need. 

Madam Van Lone did not forget to reward them for their 
kindness. She searched for Eliza and Lena until she found 
them and rewarded them for their kindness to her babies. 
They were both sorely grieved when they found how unkind 
their old nurse had been to them. 

Old Mogy was never heard of by the children after they 
left her; but it is to be hoped she received her just punish- 
ment for her unkindness to Alpha and Omega. 


THE END. 


Elsie Graham and Her Mother 



Elsie Graham and Her Mother 

Elsie Graham’s father died when she was but three years 
old. Her mother was very poor and had to work for a 
livelihood for herself and child. Mrs. Graham’s only means 
of support was her needle. She worked early and late, but 
only succeeded in making a little more than a living. Her 
greatest desire was to lay up a small sum of money to edu- 
cate Elsie. As she was a bright child, her mother wanted 
her to make her mark in the world. Mrs. Graham expected 
some day to make a noble lady out of her daughter. 

At the commencement of this story Elsie was fourteen 
years old and a very pretty girl, but we are sorry to say 
she was a very disobedient child. She had been sick a good 
deal and her mother had petted and humored her, in order 
to get along with her, for Mrs. Graham was in delicate 
health herself. 

Elsie was getting along nicely at school. She stood 
in class with the average of children of her age, although 
she had never been to school very much. Her mother was 
proud to know her daughter was getting along so well at 
school. 

Mrs. Graham worked harder each day in order to obtain 
books and suitable clothing for her child, so she would nOt 
be conspicuous among the other children. Mrs. Graham 
had to economize very closely to keep Elsie looking like 
Other children for she was very hard on her clothing, espe- 
cially on her shoes. Elsie never dreamed what a sacrifice her 
poor mother made to keep her looking so nice and so com- 
fortable. Several nice dresses always hung in Elsie’s 
closet ready for her any time she needed them ; also a nice 
pair of shoes could be found dusted and sitting on the 
shelf that her mother had dusted and put there long after 
Elsie’s eyes had been closed in sleep for the night. During 
the hours of the day, Mrs. Graham had to sew for other 


54 


Elsie Graham and Her Mother 


people, and her own house work, sewing and mending must 
be done while most mothers were fast asleep in bed. 

Elsie did very little work to help her mother. She could 
have been of great assistance to her if she had chosen*. 
Every night or two there was a new book brought home 
from the school library. Elsie had no time to do anything 
but read. Sometimes her mother would say: 

“Elsie, dear, won’t you wash the supper dishes, for 
mother’s very tired, for I have worked hard to-day, dear, 
to finish Mrs. Brown’s dress ?” 

“That’s always the way; I never have time to read like 
other girls; I always have to work all the time. How do 
you suppose I’ll ever make a teacher if you don’t give me 
time to read or study?” 

Then a fit of sobbing would come to Elsie. Her mother 
would answer : 

“My dear child, I try to give you every minute I can for 
your studies. Let me ask you, my dear, how much have 
you done to help mother this week? To-day is Friday. 
Mother has completed three dresses, done the washing and 
ironing, also the housework. Has my little daughter cooked 
a meal or even washed the dishes this week?” 

• “O, well, other girls don’t have to cook and wash dishes. 
There is Betty Jones, Jessie Miller and Tutie Smith; they 
don’t have to do such work. They laugh at me when I 
tell them I had to wash the dishes.” 

“Remember, my dear, those girls you speak of are 
daughters of wealthy parents. Your mother is a poor 
widow.” 

Elsie’s heart was hard, and nothing her mother could 
say had any effect upon the child. She would sit and read 
her book until her eyes became so heavy she could no longer 
see. Then she would retire while her weary mother would 
wash the supper dishes — often after ten o’clock at night, for 


Elsie Graham and Her Mother 


55 


she was obliged to sew until the garment she was working on 
was finished. 

Mrs. Graham’s strength soon gave away and she lay 
prostrated in bed. Elsie managed to get herself a little bite 
to eat. Her mother had no appetite so she would not 
bother to get her anything. She must hurry up and get 
off to school. She would place her mother’s medicine on 
a little stand at the head of her bed, with a pitcher of water. 
Her mother could wait on herself. There was no need of 
her staying out of school to give a little bit of medicine. 
She had half washed her dishes and dressed for school; 
but what was she to do about fastening her clothes and 
combing her hair. O, mother could sit up in the bed and 
comb her hair and fasten her clothes. She was not so sick 
that that would hurt her. So her mother had her clothes 
to fasten and her hair to comb when she herself was so sick 
she could hardly raise her head from the pillow. 

“Elsie, dear, won’t you stay with mother, to-day? I am 
very sick and I shall be all alone when you are gone.” 

“Oh! that is always the way. You never want me to 
go to school. You don’t care if I grow up to be an idiot. 
You know I will lose my seat if I stay at home; I would 
never get an education if I listened to you. I don’t want to 
stay home. I’ll lose my place in the class. I have fixed your 
medicine and water so you can get them if you need them. 
There is no use of me staying home, there is nothing for 
me to do.” 

Then Elsie began crying. Her mother seeing how badly 
she felt told her to hurry off to school or she would be late. 
That day a picnic was planned by the girls of Elsie’s grade. 
Of course Elsie had to go. She was the one to suggest 
the picnic so she remained after school to talk the matter 
over with the girls. She had forgotten about her poor 
sick mother at home, who had not eaten a morsel of food 


56 


Elsie Graham and Her Mother 


all day. It was dark when she returned home. Her mother 
said: 

“Elsie, dear, what has kept you out so late, to-night?” 

“O, we girls are planning for a picnic. I knew you would 
not care if I stayed, for I was with a good crowd of girls, 
and they want me to go with them to a picnic on Saturday. 
Can I go?” 

“Would you, my dear Elsie, leave your poor sick mother 
here alone and go off to a picnic?” 

“I can’t do you any good if I should stay, and you will be 
better by that time. I have promised to go and I must not 
disappoint them.” 

In the morning, when Elsie had a little work to do she 
would worry her mother almost to death, with the fear that 
she would be late to school. She cried all the time she 
was doing the work, or getting ready. 

“Now I will have to run all the way to school to keep 
from being late. You always keep me home until the last 
minute.” Then she would commence crying so loudly that 
the neighbors could hear her. 

“My child, do not worry me any more this morning, I 
am so nervous I cannot lie still if you don’t stop your cry- 
ing.” Then Elsie -would grab her bonnet and cape and 
start off to school in a run, with her eyes all red and swollen. 

Poor Mrs. Graham would lie and cry and wonder if 
Elsie would ever change, or would always be the same hard- 
hearted, disobedient child. How she prayed each day and 
night for her Heavenly Father to protect Elsie and give 
her such divine wisdom, knowledge and strength as none 
but He could give, and make her obedient and kind to those 
around her. 

Elsie was of a nervous disposition nor would she try to 
control her nerves. She finally became so impudent and 
unkind to every one around her that no one cared for her. 
Her poor sick mother, with tears in her eyes, would beg 


Elsie Graham and Her Mother 


57 


Elsie to be more kind, and not to be so saucy to those around 
her, or she would soon have no friends. 

Elsie would say: 

“What do I care whether anyone likes me or not? I 
don’t owe them anything. They don’t have me to support. 
I’ll be glad when I am eighteen, I’ll do as I like, and go 
where I please. I wish I were eighteen now.” Mrs. 
Graham would answer: 

“My dear daughter, what would become of you if I should 
be taken from you? You would have no one to care for 
you, you are so cross and unkind to everyone that no one 
would do anything for you if I were gone.” 

“I’ll do for myself, I can make sixty dollars a month 
teaching school.” 

“But remember, dear, it will be a long time yet before 
you will graduate. If I should be taken from you, how 
would you get your education?” 

“O, I’d work for my board, and go to school.” 

“You will have to change your ways, my dear, or no 
one will keep you long. You will not have mother there 
to forgive and forget your wrong doings. There is no one 
like a mother, my dear child, and when you lose your mother, 
you lose the best friend you have.” 

Elsie would turn aside, curl up her nose and smile, as 
much to say, “I’ll get along all right. Don’t you worry 
about me.” 

Mrs. Graham grew so weak that she could do nothing 
for Elsie but to pray for her that she might see her folly 
before it was too late, and that the dear Lord might keep 
her a pure innocent girl and woman in His sight. Kind 
neighbors and friends came and did all they could for Mrs. 
Graham; but she was past earthly help. She had over- 
taxed her strength by working so hard, and the strain she 
had been laboring under for years past proved too much 
for her delicate health. She lay pale and weak on her pillow. 


58 


Elsie Graham and Her Mother 


Elsie returned home from school as usual in a very bad 
temper. The teacher had given her a check for misconduct 
that she did not deserve, as some of the other girls were the 
mischief makers. Elsie was innocent this time; but she 
had deceived her teacher so many times that she had lost 
confidence in the girl and did not believe she was innocent, 
when she told the truth. This made Elsie very angry even 
at her poor sick mother. Had she been in good humor, 
she would have noticed that her mother was much paler 
and weaker than usual. She went to her mother’s room 
to tell her her troubles. 

"‘My dear daughter, I am very sorry for you; but put 
your trust in God and be brave. Take your punishment 
rather than to deceive anyone. Be kind to those around you, 
and may God bless you. Will you get me a glass of water, 
my dear?” 

Elsie pouted and said: “Why can’t Mrs. Williams bring 
you some water? What is she here for if not to wait on 
you and do the little housework?” 

Elsie brought her mother the water but did mot do it 
willingly. Little did Elsie think that would be the last 
glass of water she would ever hand her poor mother. She 
left her mother’s room, went to the kitchen and pouted a 
while at Mrs. Williams, ate her supper, then retired for the 
night without seeing her mother again. 

She was awakened about three o’clock in the morning 
by a frightful dream. She could not at first tell where 
she was. In her dream she saw her mother in a white robe, 
lying in a long black coffin. Her mother looked so beautiful, 
but so white. She touched her face. She was cold as ice. 
She lifted her hand, it was cold and stiff. Her mother was 
dead ! She gave a wild scream and it awoke her from her 
sleep. When she was wide awake, these words came into 
her mind: “Will not my daughter bring a glass of water 
to her poor sick mother?” 


Elsie Graham and Her Mother 


59 


These words she had read at school dozens of times. 
Why did they rush into her mind now just when she had 
had such a bad dream? She consoled herself with the 
thought that her mother was not dead. She had only been 
dreaming. Did she not get her mother the water she had 
asked for? Yes, but she did not do it willingly. Then she 
remembered how pale her mother looked as she said : “God 
bless you my child — ^trust Him.” 

For the first time Elsie’s hard heart was softened. She 
resolved to be better to her mother, as the picture of her 
mother in the casket came before her eyes. 

She arose, dressed herself, and stole softly down stairs 
into her mother’s room. The curtains were down and every- 
thing was so quiet in the room, her mother must be sleep- 
ing. She would not wake her to ask forgiveness but wait 
until morning. She went to her room, lay down on the 
bed, and soon fell asleep, but awoke with the same dream 
she had before. This time the light was shining in at the 
window. She crept softly down stairs again hoping this 
time her mother would be awake. Then she would ask 
her forgiveness and tell her how sorry she was for being 
so unkind to her while she had been sick, and for being un- 
willing to give her the glass of water. 

When she reached her mother’s door, the curtains were up 
and the light streaming in at the window showed that the 
bed had been removed from the room. What had they done 
with her mother? She went through the house. There 
was no one whom she could ask about her mother ; she went 
through the house again and out to the front steps. She 
sat down and began to cry; presently Mrs. Williams came 
to her, Elsie threw her arms around her neck and begged 
her to tell where her mother was. 

“Be quiet, my child, you have no mother, now. Her 
spirit left us before eleven o’clock last night. Her form 
lies at the undertaker’s parlor robed for the grave.” 


60 


Elsie Graham and Her Mother 


Elsie commenced crying and screamed : “O, my dear 
mother, what shall I do without you 

Mrs. Williams said, “My dear child, compose yourself 
and let me get you some breakfast.” 

Elsie was not hungry. She could not eat anything. 
Mrs. Williams tidied the house, then she went with Elsie 
to the undertaker’s parlor where her angel mother lay. 
Elsie could hardly realize it was her own dear mother 
lying there, she was so beautiful. She looked the same 
as Elsie had seen her in her dream during the night. 

“O, mother, dear mother, won’t you speak to me? 
won’t you say you forgive your Elsie for being so unkind 
to you ? My mother, my mother !” 

Mrs. Graham’s form lay cold and still in her casket. 
If Elsie had only been kind to her poor mother a few* 
hours or days before how different she would have felt 
at that moment. But her mother was gone to the realms 
above. Elsie could never hear her mother say again : 
“Elsie, dear, I forgive you,” or “Elsie, dear, get mother 
a drink of water.” 

Mrs. Williams accompanied the poor girl to her lonely 
home. When they entered her mother’s room Elsie 
gave one scream and fainted. 

On Mrs. Graham’s table lay a note for Elsie and when 
the girl recovered, Mrs. Williams gave it to her and told 
her of her mother’s death. Mrs. Graham did not realize 
until almost the last minute that she was going to die; 
then fearing to excite her child she would not allow her 
to be awakened* but wrote a brief note of farewell. The 
note read: 

“Dear Elsie — 

“Mother is fast going from you to the realms above. 
Will you, dear Elsie, be a Christian and meet mother 
there? Mother forgives you for being unkind to her. 


Elsie Graham and Her Mother 


61 


She loved you to the last. Be truthful and kind to those 
around you. Mother has lots she would like to say to 
you; but her hand can no longer hold the pen. Let me 
say, dear Elsie, be a soldier and servant of the Lord. 
Always remember me as your loving mother. 

“Your Mother’s Legacy.” 

After the funeral was over and Elsie had seen her 
mother’s form lowered from her sight forever, Mrs. Wil- 
liams took Elsie home with her for a few days until some 
different arrangement could be made for her. It was her 
mother’s last request that Elsie should be placed in a 
Christian home. The girl was no longer the hard-hearted 
independent Elsie she once had been. She was as geqtle 
and kind as a dove. Death had robbed her of her dearest 
friend — her mother. She would now have to be recon- 
ciled to her lot and be contented in whatever home Mrs. 
Williams saw fit to place her. She had no longer the de- 
sire for an education and a teacher’s position with a sixty- 
dollar salary. If she could only have her own dear 
mother back in their little home again how happy she 
would be! But that could never be. The only thing she 
could do, then, was to be good and prepare to meet her 
mother in heaven where all is bright and beautiful. 

Mrs. Graham had laid aside two hundred dollars of hard- 
earned money to help Elsie to graduate. This had to go 
for the doctor’s bill and funeral expenses so there was 
nothing left for Elsie but a few household goods. Elsie 
insisted on keeping her mother’s machine as her poor 
mother had made a living for the two since Elsie was 
three years old with this same machine. Elsie was al- 
lowed to keep some of her mother’s things which she 
prized the highest. The rest of the household goods 
were sold for Elsie’s benefit. 


62 


Elsie Graham and Her Mother 


Mrs. Williams was the best friend Elsie had, for she 
had loved Mrs. Graham. Elsie was so disagreeable to 
her poor mother and those around her, that Mrs. Wil- 
liams cared but little for her, only on her mother’s ac- 
count. When she saw the change in Elsie she began to 
love her also, for Elsie was a lovable child if she only 
chose to make herself so. 

Mrs. Williams was not able to give Elsie a home her- 
self but did the best she could for her. She placed her 
in first one home then another; but the people were un- 
kind to her and made her work very hard so that she had 
but little time for her school. They would keep her until 
the last minute then Elsie would be late for school. She 
could not cry and fret as she had done when her mother 
was living, but had to make the best of it. Her teacher 
complained of her being late for school, also of the days 
she was absent. When Elsie told her teacher she had to 
work very hard and the people she was staying with were 
unkind to her, her teacher sent a note to Mrs. Williams 
requesting her to look after Elsie, as she was getting be- 
hind in her studies. Mrs. Williams at last was fortunate 
in finding Elsie a good home with Christian people who 
were kind to her. They were not like her own dear 
mother, however, and Elsie learned to see the difiference 
between her own mother’s care and the care of those who 
now had her in charge. 

A number of years have passed since Elsie’s mother’s 
death. The change which came over Elsie then has 
won many friends for her. Had she stayed the hard- 
hearted, saucy Elsie she was then she would have had a 
more difficult task in obtaining an education than she did. 
Elsie is a teacher, now, in the high school; but she has 
never forgotten how unkind she was to her poor sick 
mother. She would give worlds, were they hers to give. 


Elsie Graham and Her Mother 


63 


if she could only hear her mother say, ‘“Elsie, I forgive 
you,’’ instead of reading it from the little slip of paper, 
her mother’s legacy. 

Little girls, little boys, all who read this story, let the 
writer say to you : 

“Love your mother and be kind to her, for you, like 
Elsie, may not always have a mother to love.” 


THE END. 


^.4 


Where There’s a Will 
There’s a Way 


Where There’s a Will 
There’s a Way 

Eveline White and her mother lived in a neat little 

cottage on Fourteenth street in the town of L . 

Eveline’s father had been brought home dead when she 
was only eight years old. 

Mr. White was a railroad man and was killed in an ac- 
cident. He was poor but each month when he received 
his salary he deposited ten dollars in the bank. He often 
laughed and told his wife he had put that aside for a rainy 
day. The rainy day had come, and Mrs. White, and her 
two little ones were left alone. 

After Mr. White had been laid to rest there was only 
a small sum left of what Mr. White had called their 
rainy day money and Mrs. White was obliged to seek 
employment for the support of herself and the two chil- 
dren. What was she to do? She had never earned a 
dollar in her life ; but she thought : 

“Where there’s a will there’s a way,” and the dear Lord 
helps those who help themselves. 

She left Eveline with her baby brother three years old, 
asking God to help her in finding employment and to pro- 
tect her little ones while she was gone. With a heavy 
heart she left her home, hardly knowing where to go in 
search of work. She must try to get a position at some 
kind of sewing at which she was always handy although 
not a dressmaker. She called at one dressmaking shop 
after another. The tale was the same everywhere; they 
all had what help they needed and she must serve an 
apprenticeship of six months in order to get a position at 
dressmaking. Then she tried the tailor shops, but with- 
out success. She was walking up Broadway, almost 


68 


Where There's a Will There's a Way 


discouraged, when her eyes caught a printed sign in a 
tailor's window: 

'‘Wanted — A good woman to assist in sewing." 

She opened the door and walked in. 

“I see you have a sign out wanting help." 

“Yes, ma'am, do you understand the tailor's trade?" 

“No, sir, although I am very handy with a needle." 

The tailor scratched his head for a moment and stood 
in a deep study. 

“I have never hired help unless they understand the 
trade. Would you like to serve an apprenticeship of 
six months? Is it convenient for you to do so?'’ 

For the first time since the conversation began he ob- 
served that she was in deep mourning. 

“I judge you are a widow." 

“Yes, sir," she said, “my husband has been dead only 
two weeks and I have two small children to support." 

“I do not usually give wages to an apprentice; but I 
need help and I will tell you what I’ll do. I’ll give you 
ten dollars a month while you are learning the trade; 
after you serve your apprenticeship, I will give you 
steady employment as long as you care to remain with 
me. Of course ten dollars may seem a small sum to 
you; but it will help you to pay your rent, and at any 
time should you have to work over hours, I will pay you 
ten cents an hour for your work.” 

Mrs. White told him she did not know what she could 
do with her children while she was away from home; but 
she would see what arrangements she could make about 
them and she would let him know the next day, if that 
would be satisfactory to him. He said that it would. 

Mrs. White was in a deep study all the way home, 
whether to accept the position or not. She had some 
money in the bank yet, enough if she economized very 
closely, to live on during the six months. Then she 


Where There's a Will There's a Way 


69 


would have steady employment all the time. Her rent 
was eight dollars a month. The ten dollars would lit- 
tle more than pay her rent; but she would not need all 
the five rooms the house contained. The two front rooms 
she might rent for ten dollars a month furnished. That 
would pay her rent. She would get along nicely if she 
could carry out that plan. She would get a girl to stay 
with her little ones during the day. 

When she arrived home she found the children all 
right. Eveline had taken good care of little Arthur. 
She gave him a little lunch at noon and put him to bed. 
While he was asleep Eveline busied herself in preparing 
her mother's dinner to surprise her on her return home. 
The table was spread with a clean linen cloth and every- 
thing was in readiness. Mrs. White never dreamed that 
her daughter was such a nice little housekeeper. 

When Eveline kissed her mother goodnight and was 
about to retire to bed, Mrs. White took the child in her 
arms, pressed her to her bosom and said: 

“My darling child, you do not know how happy mama 
feels to think you have been such a good little girl today, 
and have been so kind to little Arthur.” 

The tears came to Eveline's eyes as her mother praised 
her for her goodness. She said : 

“My dear mama, you know I must take your place and 
take care of little brother and keep the house clean while 
you take dear papa’s place, and make the living for we 
have no papa now.” 

Mrs. White turned aside to hide the tears which were 
fast falling down her cheeks, while Eveline cried herself 
to sleep in sympathy. 

Mrs. White accepted the position at Mr. Simon’s and 
was fortunate enough to rent her rooms to a good woman 
who would look after Eveline and Arthur while Mrs. 
White was away from home. 


70 


Where There's a Will There's a Way 


It had been Mrs. White’s intention to hire a girl to 
look after her little ones, but Eveline insisted on tak- 
ing care of Arthur herself. She could look after him as 
well as any one could. Mrs. White knew she would be 
a kind little mother, and allowed her to do so in order 
to please her, and make her feel that she was helping 
her mother. It was Eveline’s vacation. Her school 
would not begin for a couple of months; she could save 
her mama at least twelve or fifteen dollars during those 
two months by doing the housework and taking care of 
Arthur. Young as she was, she was a very sensible 
child and realized her mother would have a hard time to 
support them and she would do all she could to lighten 
her poor mother’s burden. 

Five years have passed since the commencement of 
our story. Mrs. White is still working at tailor Simon’s 
shop. Eveline has grown up to be quite a little woman 
and capable housekeeper, keeping house and looking 
after Arthur, though this was not all the work she did. 
She was preparing herself to be a teacher, for she could 
see her mother’s health was failing and she knew her 
mother would not always be able to care for them. She 
must get an education so she could be the burden bearer 
and let her mother have a rest. 

Eveline was not what you would call a pretty girl, 
but she had a lovable disposition and was kind and good 
to all around her so that everyone who knew her, old 
or young, loved her. When she would hear other girls 
talking saucily to their mothers, she would say to them : 

‘"How can you talk so unkind to your mother; you 
will not always have a mother. I love my mama and 
could not talk to her that way.” 

Then she would tell them some little story that would 
impress on their minds the lesson that they must be kind 
to their mother. 


Where There's a Will There's a Way 


71 


If any of the neighbors’ children were in trouble they 
would find Eveline and confide in her for they knew that 
in some way Eveline would help them out. 

Many a surprise did Eveline plan for some poor, lonely, 
old woman — of a nice basket of fruit and flowers that 
grew in their own yard. Often Eveline’s mother would 
fit her up a nice little basket of groceries and goodies 
for her to take to some lone widow with little children 
poorer than themselves. 

Such was the life they lived for years. 

Mrs. White had to work early and late, and after work- 
ing hours at the shop she had her own sewing and mend- 
ing to do — work in which Eveline would help after the 
house was tidy — of an evening. 

In spite of all she had to do Eveline was never late at 
school and always had a perfect lesson. Her teacher 
loved her because she was so kind and truthful. 

Mrs. White was taken suddenly ill one day and was 
brought home from the shop. For weeks she was con- 
fined to her bed. ‘‘From overwork,” the doctor said. 

Mrs. White engaged a woman to do her work and take 
care of her, so as not to keep Eveline from school as 
she was getting along so nicely in her studies. Eveline’s 
hours out of school were always spent at her mother’s 
bedside. Her mother did not want for anything when 
Eveline was at home. 

The girl will never forget one evening. After school 
several of the girls came to her asking her to remain a lit- 
tle while at the school house; for they were planning 
for a surprise birthday party for one of the girls on 
Friday night, and they wanted Eveline to help them plan 
for the social. 

“I am sorry, girls,” said Eveline, “that I cannot re- 
main with you. My mother is sick and she would be 


72 


Where There's a Will There's a Way 


uneasy about me if I were late in getting home, and then 
she needs me to help take care of her." 

'‘Oh, we will only be a little while planning for the 
party," said one of the girls. 

“Make your mother believe you were kept in at school," 
said another. “I often do that when I am late getting home. 
Your mother will never know the difference." 

“I would not do that, no, not for the world. I could 
not deceive my mother in that way. If my mother 
should find it out she would lose confidence in me. I 
must go. Goodnight, girls, I hope you'll succeed in plan- 
ning for your social." 

The girls did not get angry with Eveline ; but thought 
she was the best girl they had ever known and they all 
loved her. 

When Eveline returned home that evening she found 
her poor mother much worse. The doctor said it was the 
effects of the warm day. Eveline’s mother had been 
watching the hands on the clock for Eveline’s return. 
She knew she would feel better when Eveline came home, 
for she was such a comfort to her. 

When the cool shadows of the evening came on Mrs. 
White seemed a little better and rested quite easy during 
the night. Eveline did not go to school the next day, but 
remained at her mother’s bedside all day, and for days 
after. 

Eveline was missed at school. The doctor said that 
it was the good nursing Mrs. White had that restored her 
so soon to health, and Eveline’s hard study at school soon 
brought her up with the rest of her class. 

When Eveline told her mother about the party her 
mother insisted that Eveline should go with the girls as 
she had been a faithful little daughter and nurse to her. 
Eveline said: 


Where There's a Will There's a Way 


73 


“Mama, dear, do you think I could go to the party and 
enjoy myself when I know how sick you are? No, I 
would not enjoy myself if I went. I would prefer to 
stay with you, mother dear.” And Eveline was allowed 
to have her own way. 

Before Eveline was seventeen years old she graduated 
from the public school. Eveline was quite surprised 
one morning at the breakfast table as she turned over 
her plate. There lay a bank note addressed to Miss 
Eveline White. It was enough to buy her what clothes 
and books she would need for the State Normal, also to 
pay her tuition for one term at the school. This was the 
grandest birthday present Eveline had ever received. 
She had almost forgotten it was her seventeenth birthday. 
She rose from her chair, threw her arms around her 
mother and kissed her. 

“Mother, dear, I do not know how to thank you enough 
for this check; you are the kindest and dearest mother 
on earth.” 

“Mbther thinks she has got the dearest and kindest 
daughter on earth. God bless you, my dear child,” 
answered the mother as she patted Eveline on the cheek. 

Arthur also had a little present for Eveline that he had 
earned himself by doing errands at one of the stores near 
their home. He had earned ten dollars. Five, he said, was 
for his mother and five for Eveline. 

“But where is Arthur’s share comiing Jfrom?’’ asked 
Eveline. 

“O, I don’t need anything,” said Arthur. “Mr. Goodman, 
the grocer, has promised me work in the store during 
my vacation. He will give me twenty dollars a month. I 
will have more than enough to buy my clothes and books for 
the next term of school.” 

This was quite a surprise to Mrs. White and Eveline for 
they had never dreamed of Arthur thinking of getting a 


74 


Where There's a Will There's a Way 


position — a mere boy like him getting a salary of twenty 
dollars a month. 

“How did it happen, my son, that you got such a good 
position ?” 

“It was this way, mother : You see I have been doing er- 
rands for Mr. Goodman for some time to earn that ten 
dollars. Mr. Goodman wanted a good honest boy to help 
him for a couple of months during the summer. He asked 
me if I knew where he could get a boy of that kind. I 
wanted the position, but I was afraid to say a word. I knew, 
mother, you had always taught me to be honest and truth- 
ful, and I knew I was worthy of the position. I told Mr. 
Goodman I did not know where he could find a boy of that 
kind, and he said: 

“ ‘Arthur, I have had my eye on you for some time. Would 
you like to have the position ?’ ” 

“I was too overjoyed to speak for a moment, then he said, 
‘Ask your mother, my boy, if she will let you accept the 
position at twenty dollars per month?’ 

“Now, by dear mother, I am waiting for your answer, 
whether to accept the position or decline it. It will be just 
as you say, darling mother, although I would like to accept 
the position.” 

“God bless you, my boy, and may you prove faithful in 
Mr. Goodman’s service.” 

Eveline is now teaching school at a fair salary. Arthur 
is bookkeeper in Mr. Goodman’s store. Mrs. White no 
longer has to work at the tailor shop, but keeps house for her 
two children. She is proud to think that she has such a 
noble daughter and son. The children have bought the little 
cottage and lot where most of their childhood days were 
passed, and deeded it to their mother. As Mrs. White 
sees her children going to and from their work she thinks 
of their father how proud he would be of his children if 


Where There's a Will There's a Way 


75 


he could see them now grown into manhood and woman- 
hood. 

Mrs. White has learned from experience that “Where 
there’s a will, there’s a way,” and her children have always 
kept their mother’s motto in their minds. 

Now, my dear little readers, you have no doubt read the 
story of Elsie Graham. Which would you prefer to be like, 
Elsie Graham or Eveline White? 


THE END 


4 


\ 


A Good Beginning, but a 

Sad Ending 


< 




A Good Beginning, but a 
Sad Ending 

It was Christmas morning. The snow lay white and 
glistening on the ground. Two boys with their guns started 
out for a few hours hunting in the hills. 

“Now is a good time, Bob, to catch squirrels,'’ said one 
of the boys. 

“You just bet it is,” said the other. “This is a good time 
to chase the deer. You can track them in the snow.” 

“I am bound to have a deer,” said Billy. “I’ll make father 
proud of me and he’ll not be sorry be got me this gun, 
either.” 

“Did your father buy your gun ?” asked Bob. “My father 
did not buy me anything.” 

“Where did you get your gun then?” 

“Why, I wrote a note months ago to Santa Claus 
and his good wife and told them to be sure not to forget 
me. I wanted a real shotgun, oh, so bad, and I would be 
such a good boy if he would only bring me one. Sure enough, 
Billy, he did not forget my note and I am going to be one 
of the best boys you ever saw this coming year, and maybe 
Santa Claus will bring me an automobile next year.” 

“Bosh! do you believe all that stuff about Santa Gaus? 
Well, I don’t, you can just bet your sweet life, I am too 
old for Santa now. Father is good enough for me,” he said, 
with a sneer. “They can’t stuff me with such baby nonsense 
any more.” 

Billy was three years the senior of his companion, and 
although only thirteen years old he thought himself quite 
a man. 

“Say, Bob, let’s go and show our guns to Tom Jones. 
Maybe he would like to go gunning with us.” 

“Say, do you think Tom got a gun for Christmas?” 


80 


A Good Beginning, but a Sad Ending 


“No, I don't think so. Tom told me he wanted a gun 
for Christmas. Well, I want lots of things I don’t get 
and I am sure his father is too poor to buy him a gun. Then 
he’s tied to his mama’s apron string. She won’t let him go.” 

“Now, Billy, don’t say one word about Tom. Tom’s a 
first-rate fellow. I’ll tell you what he did last night. You 
know the old widow Brown, who lives down on the flat; 
well, she has got a house full of little children and she is 
awful poor so she can hardly feed them all. Wei!, Tom’s 
been saving up his small change for months past to buy 
each one of those little children a present for Christmas. 
He told me himself that he knew Santa Claus would not 
visit them this year for he did not visit them last year and 
they are lots poorer now than they were then. Now look 
here, Billy, Tom believes in Santa Claus.” 

“Bosh! He is only trying to stuff you.” 

“Tom is a good fellow and I believe him before I would 
you, for I never knew Tom to tell a lie. His teacher says 
he is the best boy in her room and she ought to know. Tom 
is honest. He won’t lie or steal like we boys do, ’cause he 
says it’s wicked to steal and lie, and I think so too. Tom 
is a good mama’s boy; he goes to Sunday School. I go 
to Sunday School, too.” 

“No one goes to Sunday School but girls and fools. I’m 
too smart to go to Sunday School.” 

“Say, Billy, if you should die you would go to hell, sure. 
My Sunday School teacher says so, and she knows. You 
just bet she does.” 

“Well I’ll go to hell then, I don’t care how soon ; but I’m 
going to take my gun along and shoot squirrels there.” 

“You don’t know what you are talking about. There are 
no squirrels in hell, only a big hot fire there to burn bad 
people forever.” 

“Then heaven, I suppose, is a place for your nicey, nice 
people ?” 


A Good Beginning, but a Sad Ending 


81 


^‘Heaven is the place for good people, so my Sunday 
School teacher says, and I am sure Tom Jones would go 
there if he should die tonight, for he is the best boy in town. 
Everyone says so.^’ 

“Well, I don't say so; but if I go to hell, I will kill the 
devil with my shotgun. Say, Bob, you didn’t tell me what 
Tom did for the widow Brown.” 

“Oh, yes ! Tom saved five dollars. His father told him 
he could do as he pleased with the money for he had earned 
it all himself. Well, now there is a wheel down at the 
pawnshop to be sold for five dollars. Tom wants a wheel 
awful bad. You know he is the only boy in my room at 
school who has no wheel. Tom told us last week what he 
was going to do with his money and all us boys begged him 
to buy the wheel ; but he said he must get Christmas presents 
with the money for the widow and her children. Last night 
he took a crowd of us boys down town to help him get the 
things for them, and I’ll be switched if he didn’t have every 
one of their names down on a piece of paper, even to the 
baby two years old. He took her a two-bit doll. Then he 
had a couple of dollars left and he bought groceries with 
the last cent of it counting in a little treat for the children, 
for they never get anything like that. Last Christmas they 
didn’t even get an apple. Then Tom invited all of us boys 
to go with him to carry the presents down to the widow’s 
house. Tom planned to go to the door quiet and put the 
things on the steps, ring the bell, then run away and not 
let her know who brought them ; but you know the snow 
around the widow’s cottage is a little deep and we could 
not get out of her way although we tried to. Well, the 
widow called us back and she was so surprised as well as 
delighted to see that big basket filled up to the top. I tell 
you it made her smile when she saw that big fat hen all 
ready for the oven, Tom’s mother sent her. When she 
asked who presented the things, Tom says : 


82 


A Good Beginning, but a Sad Ending 


“ ‘Mother sent the hen and we boys brought the other 
things.’ 

“Tom didn’t want all the praise, although he deserved it. 
He wanted us boys to share his pleasure. It made us fel- 
lows feel pretty sneaky when Tom said that, for we all had 
our Christmas money in our pockets and Tom didn’t have 
a nickel. 

“Well, the widow invited us boys in to help take the things 
out of the basket. I tell you, you never saw such a happy 
family in your life as they were. Even the dear little baby 
hugged her dollie in her arms and screamed with delight 
over it. Tom burst out crying to see that baby so happy 
over her dollie. I really believe it did Tom more good then 
if he had bought the wheel with the money to see that baby 
so happy. She would not let anyone touch her dollie, fear- 
ing they would spoil its pretty clothes. Tom’s the best fel- 
low I ever knew.” 

“I tell you he is the biggest fool I know of. If I had 
been he I would have bought that wheel. It will be a long 
time before he gets another five dollars, I bet you.” 

“Now, Tom won’t lose anything, Billy, by doing good, 
for my mother says so. I’ll tell you now what we boys 
have done. We bought that wheel for Tom. I’ll tell you 
how we did it. We four boys who went with Tom had 
half enough money in our pockets to buy that wheel. Then 
I thought last night after I left Tom that I would go and 
see his Sunday School teacher and maybe she would help 
us out. She and I called on several of the boys in the class 
and, by jinks! we got enough money to buy that wheel and 
the teacher and I, for I am in Tom’s class, went down this 
morning and bought the wheel, and she has put a card on 
it saying: ‘From your Sunday School class,’ and we are 
going to take the wheel down tonight, leave it at the door, 
ring the bell and run away like we did last night.” 

“Golly! won’t Tom be tickled over it?” said Billy. 


A Good Beginning, but a Sad Ending 


83 


“You just bet he will/' said Bob. 

“That is not all the poor widow Brown got through Tom's 
kindness. 

“Of course we had to tell the story about Tom and his 
presents to the poor woman so the parents of the boys in 
our class are going to send the widow a ton of coal, a lot 
of groceries, and clothes, today. So you see they would 
not have done that if it had not been for Tom’s presents, 
because they never gave her anything last Christmas, though 
her husband died just before Christmas and everyone knew 
they were poor.” 

“It seems to me, you, not Tom, were the cause of the 
widow getting the ton of coal and the groceries.” 

“Why so?” 

“Oh, because if you had not tried to get Tom that wheel 
and called on all those boys and told about Tom’s goodness, 
she would never have got the ton of coal or the groceries 
today.” 

“Oh, I had not thought of that.” 

“Don’t give Tom all the praise and yourself none as Tom 
did when he took the presents to the widow.” 

“Yes, it was all Tom’s doings, for I would never have 
thought of trying to get him a wheel if Tom hadn’t made 
the sacrifice first, and was not willing to receive his share 
of the praise. Tom can’t use his wheel now; but it won’t 
be winter always.” 

“Well, here is Tom at the gate with a new gun. Halloo, 
Tom ! Merry Christmas to you !” 

“Same to you, boys,” said the sweet voice of Tom. “Out 
trying your guns ?” 

“Yes, and we came to see if you don’t want to go with 
us up into the hills hunting.” 

“I don’t think mother will let me go,” said Tom. “She 
will be afraid for me to go out with you. She said I must 


84 


A Good Beginning, but a Sad Ending 


never go out hunting with anyone but father and we are 
going tomorrow.” 

“Oh, pshaw ! Come go with us now. Ask your mother 
if you can go,” said Bob. 

“Coax her to let you go. Ask your father if you can go,” 
said Billy. “If he bought the gun for you, he’ll let you go, 
I know.” 

“But I would not go unless my mother is willing. Mother 
knows what is best for me to do.” 

Tom’s father persuaded the mother to let Tom go with 
the boys. He said it would be all right for him to go out 
for a few hours. Tom had never been allowed the freedom 
which other boys had and he was old enough to go out and 
try his gun for a little while as a treat on Christmas day. 
So Tom’s mother consented for him' to go. He promised 
to be home in time to help eat their Christmas turkey. 

“Don’t forget the dinner hour,” said Mrs. Jones as she 
kissed her boy goodbye and wished him much success in 
hunting on that Christmas day. 

Tom shouldered his gun and started off, and I am sure 
he felt as happy over his gun and the few hours he was 
going to spend hunting as the little girl was over her dollie. 

The sun was shining bright and warm on the glittering 
snow and the boys trudged along until they reached the tall 
pines where the squirrels live and the snowbirds twittered 
from tree to tree. The boys had their sacks full of wild 
game they had killed. Then Tom suggested that it was high 
time for them to return home, for he knew his mother’s din- 
ner was almost ready and he was getting hungry ; but Billy 
insisted on killing a few more squirrels before he returned. 

“But mother will expect me by three o’clock,” said Tom, 
“I must not disappoint her or she will lose confidence in me.” 

“Oh, well,” said Billy, “that won’t kill her if you do dis- 
appoint her once. I never go home when I tell my mother 
I will I go when I get ready.” 


A Good Beginning, but a Sad Ending 


85 


'*1 would not treat my poor mother that way, no, not for 
the world. I do not remember ever disappointing my 
mother. She sets the time for me to return home ; so if you 
are going to stay longer, I am going home, and I say, Bob, 
you can stay with Billy, for I shall hurry home.’' 

“You go on and we will catch up with you in a few mo- 
ments; but don’t lose your trail for you are not so well 
acquainted with the mountains as Billy is and I am.” 

“No, he is not so well acquainted with these mountains 
for he has always been tied to mama’s apron string,” 
ejaculated Billy. 

“Well, I wish I was tied to mama’s apron string now 
till I get my share of the turkey,” laughed Tom, “and I’ll 
tell you, boys, she is the best mother ever lived,” said Tom. 
“Goodbye, hope you’ll catch up with me.” 

“Steer to the left and be sure you don’t get off your trail,” 
hollered Bob, and they parted. Billy and Bob started in a 
different direction, as they saw a large gray squirrel run up 
a tall pine. 

“I tell you that’s my squirrel,” said Billy, and off went 
his gun. At the second report of the gun, the squirrel fell 
to the ground. Billy picked him up, crowded him down into 
his hunting sack and started off after another one. 

It had been a couple of hours since Tom had left the 
boys, yet Billy had no thought of going home. Bob, how- 
ever, was getting huagry and tired and wanted to go home. 

“Let’s get just one more squirrel, Bob, then we’ll go.” 

“I wish I had gone home with Tom,” said Bob, half 
whining. 

“Don’t be a baby, we’ll start home in a few minutes. It 
won’t take us long to go. We’ll take the trail over the hill. 
Tom won’t get there much ahead of us because he doesn’t 
know the trail.” 

“I know he is home eating his turkey now, and I wish 
I had a piece of my turkey and pumpkin pie,” whined Bob. 


86 


A Good Beginning, but a Sad Ending 


“Well, cry-baby, come, let’s go home.” And they started 
down the mountain trail. 

It was nearly dark and they heard a rattling in the bushes 
at the left. Billy whispered : 

“Keep quiet, it’s a deer, I quess.” 

So they pushed their way quietly through the brush on 
their hands and knees until they were within shooting dis- 
tance of the supposed deer when Billy fired. At the report 
of the gun came a faint scream and the boys recognized the 
voice. 

“By Joe! I believe that’s Tom’s voice,” said Billy, and 
called out: 

“Tom, is that you?” but no reply came. 

They hurried to the bushes whence the sound came. As 
they reached the spot they heard Tom say in a faint voice : 

“Tell mother.” 

The boys broke through the bushes where he was lying. 
They raised his head; but he could not speak. The blood 
was pouring from the wound in his side. The shot from 
Billy’s gun had penetrated Tom’s side near the heart. 

“Oh, Billy I” said Bob, “you have killed Tom. Poor Tom, 
what shall we do?” 

“I will stay with him while you go for help,” said Billy. 
“Be quick. Bob. Oh, poor Tom !” he sighed, “will you for- 
give me? I did not know it was you.” Tom raised his 
hand and his white lips parted ; but only a faint sound came 
from them. Bob bent low and caught the sound. “I for- 
give — ” and the words died on his lips. 

“He forgives you, Billy.” 

“Hurry, I say, Bob. Go for help quick; maybe he has 
only fainted. We may save him yet.” 

Bob started off as fast as his legs could carry him. It 
was dark and he had quite a way to go for help. He 
stopped at the first house he came to and told his story. 
A horse was soon saddled and a man was on his way to town 


A Good Beginning, but a Sad Ending 


87 


for a physician and to break the sad news to the parents 
who were anxiously waiting their son’s return. 

“I fear something has happened to my poor boy,” said the 
mother. 

“Don’t fear, wife,” said the father, “Tom will come home 
all right. He is only having a good time with the boys and 
has forgotten himself.” 

“But that is not like my Tom. He never forgets what I 
say to him no matter how good a time he is having.” 

Just then a rap was heard on the door. When the door 
was opened for Tom, as they supposed, a stranger stepped 
in. 

“I have come to you with sad news. Your son has been 
shot. We cannot tell whether he is dead or alive. We 
will bring him home as soon as possible. A wagon has 
been sent for him.” 

Bob returned with the wagon as he knew exactly where 
the accident happened. When they reached the spot the 
moon was shining bright and stretched out on the frozen 
ground lay two forms still and motionless, instead of one. 
Billy was dead. The fright of being alone with the dead 
affected his weak heart, was supposed to be the cause of 
his collapse. Tom and Billy were taken to their sad homes. 
About the time Tom’s body arrived at his home his wheel 
came also, for the boys had not heard of Tom’s sad fate and 
thought they would surprise him with the wheel. 

Poor Tom would never need a wheel again. His spirit 
was in heaven. He finished his mission on earth the night 
before and God had taken him for a higher and better pur- 
pose — a work he could not accomplish here on earth. 

A few days later the snow was shoveled away and two 
little mounds of earth were thrown open, side by side. As 
the two little white hearses wound their way, followed by 
a long line of black carriages, there was not a dry eye in 
the procession, for the story of Tom’s Christmas presents 


88 


A Good Beginning, but a Sad Ending 


had been told from one to another. As Bob stood by the 
little mound of earth and saw Tom’s body lowered to its 
last resting place, the words he had said the day before to 
Billy flashed into his mind : 

'Tf Tom should die tonight I am sure he would go to 
heaven.” 

Little did he think then that Tom would be there before 
night ; but Tom’s spirit, I am sure, is saved. 

One thing would always be a mystery to Bob, that was 
how Tom ever got where they found him when they thought 
him home eating his Christmas turkey. It was supposed by 
everyone that Tom lost his way and wandered around until 
he found that trail. Perhaps going down the trail he had 
slipped and fallen as his ankle was sprained and several 
bruises were found on his body. 

Tom did not forget his mother even to the last. He al- 
most expired with her name on his lips. It was supposed 
he was going to say: 

“Tell mother I got lost.” 

For years afterwards could be seen a wheel standing in 
one comer of Tom Jones’s room bearing a card on it, yel- 
lowed by time and dust, with these words written on it : 

“Merry Christmas to Tom Jones, from his Sunday School 
class. Whatsoever thou givest to the poor, the Lord giveth 
back to thee.” And many a night did a feeble gray-haired 
father and mother kneel by that wheel and thank God 
through their tears that He had taken their son, yet He had 
brought them to know the Savior and to say : 

“Not my will but thine be done.” 


THE END. 


On the Arkansas Plains 



On the Arkansas Plains 

It was a cold, bleak day in the middle of December. The 
wind blew as if it would sweep away every house on the 
plains of Arkansas. It was near four o’clock in the after- 
noon when a carriage halted at a little farmhouse. The 
occupants of the carriage asked permission of the farmer 
to remain with his family during the night as it was several 
miles to the town for which they had started. 

'‘Our accommodations are not very good,” said the farmer, 
“but if you can put up with them, you are welcome to stay.” 

“Thank you, sir,” said the stranger, and he assisted a 
woman with an infant in her arms to alight from the car- 
riage. 

They were shown into the house where there was a blaz- 
ing fire in the grate and the good housewife was preparing 
her evening meal of potatoes, pork and combread. The 
strangers ate with a relish, as if they had not tasted food 
for twenty-four hours. 

A pleasant evening was spent with the family, then the 
strangers retired for the night. 

The next morning, after they had eaten their breakfast, 
the lady asked the farmer’s wife if she would take care of 
her baby while they drove to a little town eight miles dis- 
tant to transact some business. She said they would be gone 
only a few hours ; but the morning air was very cold to take 
the little one out after such a long cold drive the day before. 

Mrs. Kellie thought it was a very cold morning for a baby 
of five weeks, so she gladly consented to take care of the 
infant for a few hours. 

The door of the room where the lady was putting on her 
wraps stood a little ajar. Mrs. Kellie noticed the mother 
taking the infant in her arms several times, kissing it and 
crying. She thought to herself that when the lady was the 


92 


On the Arkansas Plains 


mother of eight children like herself she would be glad to 
be relieved of the baby for a few hours. 

The lady bade her goodbye, telling her to take good care 
of her little one until she returned. The carriage drove up 
to the door. The lady was assisted into it and they drove 
away never to be seen again by the farmer and his good 
wife. 

The few hours ran into days and still the parents never 
returned to clain their infant girl. Mr. Kellie was a poor 
farmer and the past year had been a dry one. He had barely 
raised enough on his small farm to support his own family 
by the close economy of his good wife, so he did not feel 
able to take another one into the family. He notified the 
officers of the little town near by; but though they made 
every effort, they could find no trace of the parents of the 
infant. 

What was to be done with the baby? Mrs. Kellie with 
her eight children would have loved to keep this little cast- 
away in her own home had she been able to do so; but she 
realized that they had a hard time to support their own 
family, and consented to give the infant into the hand of 
the officers to find a home for her. A middle-aged lady con- 
sented to'adopt the baby, as she had no children of her own. 

So the little waif was taken into a good comfortable home 
and reared until she was five years old. Then Elaine’s 
adopted mother died and she was taken from place to place 
until she was ten years old. Sometimes she received good 
care and other times the people she lived with were very 
unkind to her. She was finally adopted by a lady by the 
name of Mrs. Gray, who kept boarders, and little Elaine had 
to work very hard for her living. Sometimes Mrs. Gray 
would get angry at Elaine because she had not done her 
work just right and would beat her almost to death. 

Elaine stood her cruel treatment for a couple of years and 
then she concluded to run away. So one bright moonlight 


On the Arkansas Plains 


93 


night she tied up a few of her best clothes in a little bundle 
and started out to tramp, as she had seen boys do for their 
living. But tramping was not so pleasant as she had 
thought it would be. After walking for days without much 
to eat she became very weary, footsore and discouraged. 
She had no home to go to and did not know what to do. 
She was picked up unconscious in the street one day by the 
Captain of a Salvation Army Corps who took her to the 
quarters and cared for her. 

She became an active worker in the Army and was the 
means of leading many little girls and boys to Christ by the 
story of her own hard life and what had been done for her. 

When she was eighteen she married Lieutenant Noels of 
the Army who died three years later, leaving her with two 
small children to support. Then she was obliged to go out 
washing. Day after day, with her two little children, she 
went out to work. 

One Monday morning she was sent to a very wealthy 
lady’s house to do her washing. She noticed the woman 
kept close watch of her during the day. When her work 
was done, the lady began to question her in regard to her 
relatives. All she could remember was her first adopted 
mother and then Mrs. Gray taking her after her adopted 
mother died. The lady said to Mrs. Noels, *'You look so 
much like my own family one would almost tak®. you to 
be one of them. I would like to learn something of your 
early life. Give me Mrs. Gray’s address, if you can, and I 
will write to her.” 

The lady gave her double pay for her day’s work, asking 
her to come back the next Monday to wash. The following 
Monday found her back at Mrs. Leonard’s to do her wash- 
ing. In the meantime, Mrs. Leonard had written to Mrs. 
Gray but could gain but very little information from her in 
regard to Mrs. Noel’s life. All she knew of her was that 
she was left when an infant at a farmhouse on the Arkansas 


94 


On the Arkansas Plains 


plains. She thought, perhaps, she might find out something 
in regard to her parents if she would write to Mrs. Kellie 
who then lived at L , Arkansas. 

After this second meeting Mrs. Leonard was determined 
to find out more about Mrs. Noel’s early life if in her power 
to do so, as she bore such a striking resemblance to her 
own family, and there was a little mystery in the disappear- 
ance of a child in her brother’s family some twenty-five years 
before. She had come to the conclusion that Mrs. Noels 
must be their infant girl. The mother had died at the birth 
of the child, the father two weeks later, leaving her sole 
heiress to a large fortune. In case of the infant’s death, 
this wealth was to go to a younger sister of the father, who 
was at that time in poor circumstances. She had married a 
poor man some years before. Her parents had disowned 
her on account of her low marriage. The infant girl had 
been left in her care. When the baby was five weeks old, 
the sister and her husband left their town very mysteriously, 
taking the brother’s child with them. No one knew where 
they went. They were gone for some time and on their 
return they claimed the infant had died while they were 
abroad. From that day nothing was ever heard of little 
Gladdie, as she was named by her mother, before her birth. 
Consequently the younger sister had come into possession of 
her brother’s wealth, which had been willed to him by his 
grandfather, a slave owner with a large plantation. 

Five years after the sister had come into possession of 
her brother’s estate she started a townsite on the old planta- 
tion where now looms quite a city. 

Mrs. Leonard visited the farmer’s wife where the infant 
child had been left twenty-five years before. She heard the 
story from Mrs. Kellie’s own lips, how the infant had been 
left at her home that cold morning. She gave a description 
of the child’s parents, then added that from their appear- 
ance one would judge they were people of wealth. The de- 


On the Arkansas Plains 


95 


scription tallied with that of Mrs. Leonard's sister and 
brother-in-law. Mrs. Leonard asked if there was anything 
left with the baby that would give a clue to the infant's 
identity. 

Mrs. Kellie said that there was nothing left, only a little 
locket and chain which she had found on the floor while 
sweeping the next day. The locket contained two pictures, 
but they were not the pictures of the child's parents. She 
added that she had always kept the locket thinking she 
might some time see the little girl and give her the locket 
because it was left by her mother. She gave the locket to 
Mrs. Leonard. When Mrs. Leonard saw the pictures she 
fainted, but was soon restored to consciousness. She said 
that it was the likeness of her dead brother and his wife. 
She remembered the locket and chain well. It was the one 
her brother gave his wife on their wedding morn. The 
locket was set with little pearls bearing both of their initials. 

Mrs. Leonard thanked God that she had at last found her 
brother's child, then grown into womanhood with children 
of her own, for she knew now there was not the least doubt 
but that her washwoman, Mrs. Noels, was no other than her 
only brother’s daughter and sole heiress to the property at 
L , Arkansas. 

Mrs. Leonard returned to her home and sent for Mrs. 
Noels. She told her she would no longer have to toil for 
daily bread for herself and her children. Mrs. Noels could 
hardly believe Mrs. Leonard’s story, nor realize that she 
would soon be in possession of a large fortune after toiling 
so many years for the necessities of life. Steps were taken 
at once to gain Mrs. Noel’s property. 

Mrs. Leonard in company with Mrs. Noels went to her 
sister’s house to help Mrs. Noels to recover her fortune. 
She introduced Mrs. Noels to her sister as their only 
brother’s daughter and the heiress of his property. The 
sister turned deadly white and fainted away. The shock 


96 


On the Arkansas Plains 


of seeing hei brother’s only child whom she had deserted 
that cold morning on the Arkansas plains, proved too much 
for her. As she saw the woman who was the image of her 
only brother stand before her she knew it must be the little 
baby she so affectionately kissed and hugged that cold morn- 
ing for she loved the little one. Those five weeks she had 
cared for her, the child had become very dear to her. Her 
husband often threatened to end the little one’s life. He said 
that it was too frail to stand in the way of a fortune for 
themselves. The aunt would beg for the baby to be spared 
to her, as it was her dead brother’s child whom he had en- 
trusted to her keeping. It was her duty to raise his baby, 
for her brother’s kindness to her. The only way her hus- 
band would consent to spare the little life was by her de- 
serting it. She pleaded with her husband to let her keep 
the little baby but her pleadings had no effect on him. She 
must either give the child up or he would kill it. So she 
concluded to desert the child rather than have her killed 
and he planned the journey driving, by which they were 
to leave her to others’ tender mercies. 

The story of what happened to that child afterwards you 
have already heard, my dear readers. Mrs. Noels received 
her fortune and with her little ones moved into a beautiful 
home. From that day on she and the children never knew 
a want which money could supply. 

We know that all things work together for good to them 
that love God. 


THE END. 


A Strange Dream 




A Strange Dream 

The sun was just peeping over the hilltop when the 
widow, Mrs. Howard, roused from her bed. She had not 
rested well during the night. Her sleep had been dis- 
turbed by a frightful dream and she felt so weak and 
nervous she was hardly able to dress herself; but it was 
Saturday, and Saturday in the widow’s cottage meant a 
busy day. There were always several garments to be 
finished and a number of hats to be trimmed, besides 
her own housework. There was no rest for the widow 
on that day. 

Mrs. Howard prepared the morning meal as usual for 
herself and her sister who was visiting her. When they 
were all seated at the breakfast table Mrs. Howard said 
to her sister: “I must tell you my dream, Jessie. I feel 
so worried over it, I cannot rest until I tell you the 
dream, for I know there is trouble of some kind in store 
for me. 

“I dreamed the same thing three times. I thought I 
saw mother and sister Minnie on top of a building. The 
building seemed to be on fire and they were trying to 
put out the flames. I did not discover there was any 
fire until mother called to me to take my child and run 
for our lives. It seemed that Cecil was a baby in my 
arms. Then Minnie said, ‘Take Cecil and flee for your 
life. Mother and I may be disfigured for life, but we will 
fight the fire until it’s out.’ 

“I started to run with Cecil in my arms. The fire 
seemed to be all around us. Even the heavens seemed 
to be on fire. Large pieces of timber and balls of fire 
seemed to be falling from the heavens and dropping on 
us. My clothes did not seem to be on fire; but Cecil’s 
were entirely burned from her body. All the clothes she 


100 


A Strange Dream 


seemed to have on was one little band left from an under- 
skirt. I thought to myself, she cannot take cold when 
the atmosphere is so heated up by the fire. 

“I wrapped her in my apron and ran to a railroad 
bridge, thinking if we could only cross the bridge we 
would be safe. I did not know what time in the morn- 
ing it was, whether near train time or not. I looked up 
and down the track but could not see or hear any train 
coming. I thought the only way I could cross the bridge 
was by laying the child down on the rails wrapped up in 
my apron to which I held, swinging myself under the 
trestle-work and pulling the baby down to me. I did so ; 
a passenger train whirled over our heads. Had I at- 
tempted to cross on top of the trestle-work, baby and I 
would have been crushed to death. Then I saw a little 
cabin under a cliff. The cabin was small, but I thought 
it would shelter us from the fire. When I reached the 
cabin door, grandmother met me and pulled me inside 
the cabin. Sister Emma was there with grandma wait- 
ing for me. They seemed to know we were coming. I 
told grandmother I had lost all I had by the fire and 
asked her if she thought we were safe there. She said, 
“Yes.” Then I heard the crackling of a fire and looked 
up to the roof. It was all in a blaze. It frightened me 
so it awakened me. I feel so nervous over the dream. 
Yet it seems foolish to worry over a dream.” 

“Sister, dear, do you think we are going to be burned 
out?” 

“No, I hardly think we are, although the dream wor- 
ries me very much.” 

The Saturday ended well. Little did the widow dream 
what the morrow held in store for her or how soon she 
would be left penniless. 

It was a beautiful night in October. The heavens were 
calm, the trees swayed to and fro on the light current of 


A Strange Dream 


101 


air. At nine o’clock three travelers reached their happy 
little home after a few hours of visiting with friends. 
On the porch of their home sat an old lady, forlorn and 
lonely, waiting for a cheering word from those who were 
always kind to her. An hour or two were happily spent. 
Then all was hushed in sleep. Nothing marred the quiet- 
ness of the night until three o’clock, when the wild cry 
of “Fire” rang out on the clear air and the large town 
bell rang forth for the last time in its brief history. It 
aroused those who were sleeping in a little cottage near 
the bell tower and they sprang to their feet hurriedly, 
slipped on the first apparel that came handy and rushed 
out to the street. Soon the rumbling of the hose cart 
and fire engine was heard near them. It was discovered 
that the fire was only a few feet from them in a business 
block of the town. 

The calm night was changed to a fiery wind that fanned 
the fire, playing havoc with all within its reach. It was 
soon seen that the fire would reach the cottage of a lone 
widow and her child on a narrow back street. 

The widow hurried home and roused her sleeping child. 
The little one crawled from the bed, rubbed her eyes and 
said: “Mama, is that the Sunday School bell ringing? 
I am too sleepy to get up.” 

“Make haste, my child, in a few minutes we will be left 
homeless, but we will save what we can.” 

Few came to their assistance, as no one thought of the 
poor widow and orphan. 

Men, women and children rushed to and fro trying to 
help those who were in need. In every direction could 
be heard the wild cries for help as the flames lit up the 
sky and made it as light as day. Faces of women and 
children could be seen from second-story buildings call- 
ing for help to save their lives ere they perished in the 
flames. Ladders from all sides were sent up. People 


102 


A Strange Dream 


were making their escape through burning windows and 
doors. 

The fire made a brilliant sight. It illumined the valley 
and the range of mountains south and west of the town 
with a brightness almost as pronounced as daylight. At 
times the flames leaped forty and fifty feet into the air 
carrying with them myriads of sparks. Sharp reports, 
dull intonations and muffled rumblings, caused by ex- 
ploding chemicals, powder and gasoline, made up a din 
which lent a peculiar fascination and excitement to the 
destruction. 

The fire swept on to the widow’s cottage which con- 
tained all she owned on earth. Piece after piece had 
been carried from the little building, but was reached 
afterwards by the flames of the fiery hell. Nothing from 
the ashes could be identified, only some broken pieces of 
china and now and then a utensil that had been used in 
their little kitchen. 

The woman and her child fought bravely through the 
flames and when they could no longer enter the door of 
what had once been their happy home, they stood by 
fighting the flames from the building and with tearful 
eyes watched their goods go up in smoke. 

A few thought of the lonely ones and went to their 
assistance. Half a dozen little boys set bravely to work 
trying to save what they could from the burning build- 
ing. The organ, sewing machine, a few chairs and some 
bedding were saved. Some clothing was carried out but 
burned within a few feet of the house, also the contents 
of the shelves of a well-filled millinery store were carried 
out but were mostly consumed by the fire. 

At last an Italian came to the widow’s assistance and 
the few things she had left were carried from place to 
place to save them from the flames which swept on and 
surrounded the little spot of earth where the widow was 


A Strange Dream 


103 


bravely fighting for the little she had saved. At last the 
Italian said that it was impossible to save anything more 
and they must run for their lives. 

Although stifled with the smoke she fought her way 
through the burning grass to the place where her organ 
had been left. The back of the organ facing the fire was 
so hot that she could not touch it with her hands. She 
called to the Italian for help. In a moment he was at 
her side. They succeeded in getting the organ near a 
deep creek, but the bank being very steep it was impos- 
sible to carry it down. She told the Italian to dump it 
over anyway. It would burn if left there. They gave 
the organ a push and down the bank it went till it reached 
the bottom of the creek. Mrs. Howard ran to secure other 
things she saw were in danger, when she heard a man 
on a burning building call to her to flee for her life as 
the one hundred gallon gasoline tank near by was on fire and 
would explode in a few minutes. 

The warning was none to soon. Mrs. Howard stepped 
backwards with what she could carry in her arms. The 
tank exploded. The blaze flashed in her face and in a 
dazed condition she fell backwards to the earth. The fire 
swept around her. In a few moments she regained con- 
sciousness. She heard again the wild screams from a 
dozen voices : 

^‘Run for your life or you will be burned to death.” 

Shocked and blinded by the explosion she fled to the 
place where her sister and child had taken refuge in the 
creek bottom. They sheltered themselves under a cliff 
away from the intense heat. The crackling of the fire 
and the shrieking cries of homeless ones still pierced their 
ears. Here they waited for the worst while others not 
so fortunate were pacing the street in their night clothes 
hunting a place of shelter. 


104 


A Strange Dream 


Their once beautiful town of L . lay in a smoul- 

dering heap of ruins. The business part of the town was 
a thing of the past. 

The widow’s family were the last ones thought of as 
she had taken refuge away from the smouldering mass 
of ruins. The only thing visible for blocks around was 
a pile of smoking ashes, wreckage and cinders. 

After the fire was under control, the widow crept from 
her place of safety to the place where her home had stood. 
Alas ! everything had burned. Not even a small piece 
of timber was left. 

She returned to her sister and daughter. Her sister 
was in a critical condition from the excitement of the fire. 
She needed help at once. There was no one near so the 
widow could send for a physician. Although nearly ex- 
hausted herself with a sprained knee she was obliged to 
hunt for a physician. The offices which were near them 
had burned. The telephone wires were all down ; what 
should she do? She knew where Dr. Gobland lived. She 
would go to his residence. 

Her knee had become so swollen and painful she was 
obliged to sit down in the street and rest. 

She finally succeeded in reaching the dwelling, but he 
was not at home. His office had not burned as she had 
supposed, he was there. 

She knew nearly everyone in town had their own share 
of trouble that morning, so she did not stop to burden 
them with her tale of woe, but trudged on until she 
reached the office, where already a number of patients were 
waiting to have a burn or a wound dressed. 

She waited her turn, but when it came she did not tell 
the doctor her own ailment, but only of her sister’s need, 
asking him to go at once to the house of the friend to 
whom she had taken the dear one. 

The doctor looked at her and said : 


A Strange Dream 


105 


“My opinion is you need help as well as your sister. 
Wait here until I prepare you a dose of medicine. Your 
nerves are badly shattered.’’ 

She did not hear the last words he said, but was 
downstairs before he could prepare the medicine. She 
was anxious to get back to her child and what few things 
they had left. She did not know what to do or where 
to go. She did not know at that moment some of her 
friends were in search of her to offer her a home until 
she could do better. 

Just as she reached the railroad track, she heard some- 
one call to her. At that moment she heard the rattling 
of the cars. Had she stepped forward instead of back- 
ward, she would have been crushed to death by the train. 
Then her dream flashed to her mind. Yes, she had es- 
caped death from the fire and train, as she had dreamed. 

When she neared the place where the child was sitting 
she remembered no more but fell in a dead faint. 

When she regained consciousness, she was lying on a 
quilt in the shade of a tree and kind friends were minis- 
tering to her. A carriage was summoned, a cot placed 
in it, and Mrs. Howard was laid on the cot and carried 
to the home of one of her friends where she remained a 
week. Her sister recovered from her fright and was able 
to join her in a couple of days. 

Kind women came to the widow’s assistance, secured 
her a small cottage and what things were really neces- 
sary to keep house with. She had been fortunate enough 
to save some furniture from the fire besides the organ 
and sewing machine. The benevolent society moved her 
furniture to the cottage and for the second time she was 
placed on a cot and carried to her home. 

For two weeks kind Dr. Gobland visited her once or twice 
a day. She did not want for care or anything. Mrs. 
Howard never knew before she had so many friends in 


106 


A Strange Dream 


the town of L . She was soon quite comfortable 

and as soon as she was able to be up on crutches she had 
all the sewing she could do. 

In her dream her sister had said that she would fight 
the fire until it was out, although she might be disfigured 
in the face for life. The disfigurement had come to Mrs. 
Howell’s knee instead. It was a bad sprain and would 
probably bother her as long as she lived. Yet the dear 
Lord had been good to her. 

The heavenly Father always protects the widows and 
orphans. 


THE END. 


Agnes, the Little Waif at 
Castle Wall 



Agnes, the Little Waif at 
Castle Wall 

It was the night before Christmas. The sky was covered 
with black clouds. The wind blew and the rain beat against 
the window of a beautiful castle. Inside blazed a cheerful 
fire in the grate. Two bright blue eyes had been watching 
the fire through the window for some time, then she softly 
tapped at the door. 

The child was thinly clad in a tattered calico gown. A 
thin shawl covered her head and shoulders, while her toes 
peeped out of her wornout shoes. 

The door was soon opened by the housekeeper. 

“Are you Mrs. Gray?’" said a young, sweet voice. 

“I am, but pray, my little miss, what do you want?” 

“Will you please come to my mama? She is very sick 
and she says she is going to die, I am so afraid she is.” 

, “What is your mother’s name, my dear, and where do 
you live?” 

“My mama’s name is Mrs. Todd. We live down in the 
alley off Regent street in the old green house.” 

“Why did you come to me for help?” 

“O, because,” said the child — and she began to cry — 
“mama said that you were such a nice lady she knew you 
would come to her. You know mama used to wash for 
you.” 

“Oh, you are Mrs. Todd’s daughter?” 

“I am Agnes Todd. My mama’s so sick, please hurry 
to her,” said the child as she turned to:go. 

“Stay, my child,” said Mrs. Gray. “You are too thinly 
clad to face such a storm as this. You can remain in my 
room, while I go to see your mama.” 

Taking the child by the hand, she led her to her own 
warm room. Seating her in a big armchair she told 
Agnes to remain there until she returned. “You must 


110 Agnes, the Little Waif at Castle Wall 


not leave the room for I am only Lord Badger’s house- 
keeper, and if he should find you in any of the other 
rooms he would be very angry. He has told me time and 
again never to take another waif into the house.” 

Agnes soon fell fast asleep in her chair. 

Mrs. Gray, returned for such things as she needed to 
make Mrs. Todd comfortable. 

Finding the child asleep she laid her on the lounge and 
threw a quilt over her, thinking Agnes would rest there 
until she herself should return. 

When Agnes awoke she found herself alone in the 
room. The fire was out, but the light was burning. 
She wondered where she was and what to do. Then 
she thought of what Mrs. Gray had told her about re- 
maining there. So she got up and began to look around 
to see what she could see, when her eyes spied a door 
opening from the hall into another room. Anxious like 
any child to know what was in the room, she opened the 
door and peeped inside. 

There was no one in the room, but a big fire blazed in 
the grate. She was cold, so she thought she would step 
inside and warm herself by the fire. No one would see 
her. She ventured to go to the fire, warmed herself, then 
began to look around the room. It was the most beauti- 
ful room she had ever seen. The large library doors stood 
open. 

Agnes helped herself to a book; but as there were no 
pictures in it, she soon became weary of it and laid it 
aside. She was looking for a book of '‘Fairy Tales,” 
with jolly old Santa Claus in it, with a big bag full of 
toys for little boys and girls like herself. She did not 
succeed in finding a book of that kind in the library. 
Then she noticed the writing desk standing open and 
thought she would write a note to Santa Claus. May- 
be he would find her in that beautiful house. 


Agnes^ the Little Waif at Castle Wall 111 


She seated herself at the writing desk and wrote the 
following note : 

'‘Dear Santa Claus : 

"Mama said you would not come to me this year, be- 
cause we are so awful poor ; but oh, I want a nice dollie 
so bad ; a set of dishes, and a nice warm dress, like I used 
to have when poor papa was alive and I went to Sunday 
school long time ago. Now, dear Santa, I will pin this 
note to my stockings and I hope you will find it, for to- 
morrow I am eight years old and I would like a dollie, 
oh, so much. 

"Your Agnes.’' 

"P. S. Please, dear Santa, bring my mother a nice warm 
shawl, for her old one is awful ragged.” 

Then she sat down before the big warm fire, took off 
her shoes and stockings, put the note in one of the stock- 
ings and pinned it at the side of the fire place. Then 
she lay down on the big buffalo rug before the fire and 
was soon fast asleep, while her little stockings were 
steaming by the fire. 

The door opened, and a stately old gentleman walked 
in. He was quite surprised to find a pair of stockings 
hanging before his fireplace. It was the first time in his 
life that a pair of little stockings had ever hung there. 
But where was the owner of the stockings? The room 
seemed unoccupied; but all at once a little form began 
to move before the fire. 

He stepped forward, and there stretched out on his rug 
lay the most beautiful little girl he had ever seen. Her 
long golden curls were matted over her shoulders. He 
had often read of the Sleeping Beauty, but he had never 
seen any one like her before. 


112 Agnes, the Little Waif at Castle Wall 


He raked the coals together and threw on more wood. 
The noise awakened the child and she raised herself upon 
her elbows and looked around. 

“I thought I heard a noise/’ she said to herself. ^‘May- 
be it was Santa Claus bringing my dollie. I’ll be quiet 
and make him think I’m asleep.” 

Then she closed her large blue eyes and was soon fast 
asleep, dreaming of fairies and Santa Claus and the 
beautiful Christmas trees loaded down with toys he was 
carrying around to his children. 

When Lord Badger was sure she was fast asleep, he 
came out of his hiding place. When he looked at the 
stockings again he noticed the little white note peeping 
out of the top. He took it out and read it, then placed 
it back, put his hands in his pockets and paced the floor 
in a deep study. Whose child she was and how she came 
to be there, was more than he could tell. He thought 
it must be another waif whom Mrs. Gray had brought in 
from the street though he had strictly forbidden her to 
do so. This beautiful child did not look like a waif, al- 
though she was thinly clad. She was a lovely child. 
There was something about her face which reminded him 
of a very dear friend he had years before. What was 
he to do with her? He could not turn her out on the 
street such a stormy night. He would ring for Mrs. Gray 
and ask her advice about the child; but instead of Mrs. 
Gray answering the bell, another servant appeared at the 
door. She told him Mrs. Gray had gone out early in the 
afternoon and had not yet returned. He questioned her 
about the child, but she knew nothing of her being there. 
He lifted the child to a big arm chair and covered her 
up with the rug. 

At that moment Mrs. Gray appeared at the door breath- 
less. Her little charge had gone, she said, she (knew 
not where. She had been detained longer with the sick 


Agnes, the Little Waif at Castle Wall 113 


woman than she had expected and little Agnes had be- 
come tired of waiting, she supposed, for her to return and 
had started home by herself. As it was so dark outside 
she was afraid the child would get lost. 

Lord Badger pointed to the little pair of stockings 
which hung at the fireside, then to the chair where lay 
the sleeping child. There Mrs. Gray found her little 
charge and told her story to Lord Badger. How the 
child had come to her during the afternoon for help for 
her sick mother; how in all probability the mother would 
only last a few weeks longer, for she was very low with 
consumption. She said she would take the child to her 
room for the night, then she would return to the mother; 
but she would be home early enough in the morning to 
look after the child. 

Lord Badger told her to let the child remain where 
she was until morning as she was resting quite comfort- 
ably there and he would take care of her. 

Mrs. Gray was more than surprised at Lord Badger 
offering to care for the little one, but gladly let him do 
so. He showed her the note in the stocking and asked 
her if she would go with him to do a little shopping for 
the child. Mrs. Gray was delighted at this and they went 
together down to the toy shop. 

The first thing they bought was a dollie with large blue 
eyes and long golden curls. Lord Badger declared it 
looked exactly like the child herself. They did not stop 
buying until they both had all they could carry home in 
their arms. Then Lord Badger spoke of a shawl for 
Agnes’s mother; but Mrs. Gray told him Agnes’s mother 
would not need a shawl long and it was useless to buy 
one. 

When they started home Lord Badger’s eye caught 
sight of some Christmas trees in a shop window they 
were passing. 


114 Agnes, the Little Waif at Castle Wall 


“We must have a tree,” he said, “to put the presents 
on. 

So a tree was bought and sent to their home. The tree 
arrived as soon as they did and Mrs. Gray trimmed the 
tree and put the presents on it for little Agnes before re- 
turning to Mrs. Todd’s house. 

Lord Badger accompanied her, and when they entered 
the room where Mrs. Todd lay, even Lord Badger him- 
self shuddered. The room was so bare of furniture it 
looked very cold and forlorn. Mrs. Todd was lying on a 
low bed looking very ill. Upon inquiry they found she 
had been confined to her bed almost two weeks. Mrs. 
Gray had missed her for the past two Mondays but 
thought perhaps she had moved away, and secured an- 
other wash woman. Piece by piece the poor woman had 
disposed of her furniture and many other little articles 
she had in her house. When the small amount of money 
this brought had become exhausted she had been obliged 
to sell some of her clothing in order to supply their actual 
necessities. Tonight she did not even have fuel to burn. 

Lord Badger went out and returned in a few moments 
with a large bundle of fuel. He made a fire and the little 
room seemed much brightened by the red glimmer of the 
flickering fire. Mrs. Gray had taken some tea and many 
other little comforts to the sick woman. 

Lord Badger returned to his home after bidding the in- 
valid goodnight telling her not to worry about her little 
one as he would look after her until morning, then he 
would bring her home. 

Mrs. Gray remained with the sick woman during the 
night. When the tea-kettle began to send out its puflfing 
breath of steam, Mrs. Gray prepared a cup of tea for the 
invalid and made a delicate slice of toast of which she 
persuaded her to eat a little. Mrs. Gray talked very 


Agnes^ the Little Waif at Castle Wall 115 


kindly to the sick woman but only a few times during the 
night did the invalid have strength to talk to her. 

“Agnes says she must go when I go, Mrs. Gray, for she 
thinks there will be no one else to take care of her if 
mother goes. Perhaps I may get better if I rest; but I 
have a sister who lives in France and I wish you would 
be so kind as to write and tell her of my failing health and 
that I tried to reach her to see her once more. Tell her 
about little Agnes and I think she will come and get her, 
my lamb, my darling.’' 

Mrs. Gray promised to write to the sister and pleaded 
with her to try to rest until morning. The poor woman 
closed her eyes and tried to sleep ; but her mind was too 
much upon her child to rest much. Every little while 
she would rouse up and say: “O, Agnes, Agnes, my 
darling. Who will care for you when mother is gone ?” 

Mrs. Gray tried to comfort her. She told her if any- 
thing should happen to her that little Aggy should be 
well cared for. She would write to her sister at once and 
if her sister did not take Agnes she would see that she 
was cared for. Agnes was a beautiful child and most 
any one who was able to do so, would be willing to give 
her a home. 

The next morning Lord Badger with his little charge 
returned to the home of the poor widow. Mrs. Todd was 
more than delighted to see her little daughter so happy 
over the nice presents which dear old Santa had brought 
her. She told her mother about the note she had writ- 
ten and how dear old Santa had come and found her in 
that beautiful room of Lord Badger’s. 

“Mama, dear, if I had stayed at home, Santa would 
not have found me, because he did not find me last year, 
and you know he does not visit poor children.” 


116 Agnes, the Little Waif at Castle Wall 


Her mother pressed her to her bosom and asked God to 
help her to be as happy another Christmas morning as 
she was then. 

The tears rolled down her cheeks at the thought of 
where she would be another Christmas morning away 
from her darling and this cruel world; but why should 
she grieve; had not God been good to her and her child 
by sending such kind friends to them? She knew her 
heavenly Father would still care for her little one. 

Lord Badger called in a physician who talked awhile 
with the poor feeble woman, advised simple restoratives 
and any thing that could help to make her comfortable. 

‘‘You need a better room than this, and some one to 
watch by you, that your mind and body may both rest 
for a while. Perhaps I can find you a place in the hospital, 
madam,” said he. 

“No, sir, no, sir ; I would rather die here,” she answered. 
“I have no means to pay for a better home or to hire at- 
tendants and I must keep my child with me. It will only 
be for a little while.” 

“Do you think that a removal would be injurious to 
her, doctor?” asked Lord Badger. “I will gladly take her 
to my own home where she can be cared for while she 
lives. I think as you say she needs some one to watch 
by her, and to rest mind and body. Mrs. Gray can take 
care of her and look after Agnes if they were both in 
my house.” 

Mrs. Gray was agreeably surprised at Lord Badger’s 
kind offer. 

“That is very noble of you. Lord Badger, and the 
heavenly Father will bless you for it,” said the doctor. 
“Nothing can be worse for the sick woman than to re- 
main in this uncomfortable place. I will assist in seeing 
her safely removed to your house if you say so, and the 
sooner the better.” 


Agnes, the Little Waif at Castle Wall 117 


Lord Badger soon had a carriage at the door with a 
comfortable bed arranged for Mrs. Todd’s removal. She 
was soon safely settled in Lord Badger’s beautiful home 
of which Agnes had talked so much. 

Mrs. Todd waited anxiously for news from her sister. 
She said she had not seen her for a number of years. 
Both had married and left home about the same time. 
Her sister had settled in France, while the brief period 
of her own married life had been spent in England. 

Two weeks had passed since Mrs. Gray wrote to Mrs. 
Todd’s sister, but no answer had come from the letter. 
Mrs. Gray finally decided to write to the postmaster of 
the town, Manton, and see if the family mentioned were 
still living there. She received the answer that the per- 
son inquired for died some years ago and the husband 
with his family had moved to England; but where they 
were residing he was unable to tell. Mrs. Todd was 
very much overcome by the sad news of her sister’s death. 

‘‘God help us ! I am indeed desolate. My little daugh- 
ter must be intrusted to the kind pity and care of strang- 
ers.” 

“Don’t feel anxious about little Agnes,” said kind Lord 
Badger. “I will care for her, I will adopt her and she 
shall be my heiress when I am gone. My home would 
be desolate now without little Agnes. She is just like a 
ray of sunshine flitting about the house and grounds, and 
here is my hand upon it, Mrs. Todd, a pledge and a 
promise. So rest quietly. Your little one shall be cared 
for.” 

Mrs. Todd was contented then and said she could die 
easy, now that she knew Lord Badger would be a kind 
father to little Agnes. She would give her to him as a 
Christmas present for he had made them both so happy 
on that Christmas day. 


118 Agnes, the Little Waif at Castle Wall 


Mrs. Todd lived a few days after the promise was given, 
and then fell peacefully asleep in Jesus. She was laid 
at rest in the churchyard beside some of Lord Badger’s 
relatives so that little Agnes could visit her mother’s 
grave in after years when she was the heiress of Castle 
Wall. 

Agnes grew more beautiful each year, and often did 
passersby stop and watch a little girl flitting from bush 
to bush, plucking the sweetest and most beautiful flowers 
in the garden to send to some poor little girl or boy who 
had no flowers and was ill at home. 

Many a time did neighbors and friends wonder what 
had caused the change in Lord Badger, and what had 
softened his hard heart towards children, and how he ever 
came to let a child pluck flowers in his gardens where no 
child had ever been before since he had fallen heir to 
Castle Wall. They did not know of the love hidden deep in 
his heart twenty years before for Agnes’s mother when 
he was plain William Smith and not Lord Badger. 

Mr. Todd, a wealthy merchant, had come between them 
and won Agnes Mar for his wife. Mr. Todd failed in 
business some years after their marriage and at his death 
left his wife and child penniless. 

No child could have been better cared for than little 
Agnes Todd, now Lord Badger’s daughter. A good 
governess was found for her. Never did she have a want 
that money could supply and never was there a prouder 
or happier father than Lord Badger, as he took his walks 
and drives with little Agnes by his side, arrayed in the 
most magnificent costumes. 

When Lord Badger became too feeble to care for him- 
self, Agnes was constantly at his bedside. Lord Badger 
never had cause to regret finding the little waif in his 
room that Christmas Eve. 


Agnes^ the Little Waif at Castle Wall 119 


When Agnes was twenty years old Lord Badger died 
and left her heiress of his beautiful Castle. Agnes had 
grown into a beautiful young lady. She was tall, slender 
and graceful. Her golden hair gave her almost the ap- 
pearance of an angel. Many of the nobility sought her 
hand in marriage. She chose Lord Churbey as her com- 
panion for life, and the sun never shone on a happier or 
more worthy couple than they. 

Now little children play upon the lawn of Castle Wall. 
As Lady Churbey sees little Agnes picking flowers for 
the poor she thinks of her own girlhood days, and the 
night she came as a little waif to Castle Wall. Little 
did she think then what happiness was in store for her 
inside. 






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